On the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangladesh has reinforced its development cooperation with key international financial partners through a series of high-level bilateral meetings.
Finance Adviser of Bangladesh Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, held a bilateral meeting with President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Nadia Calviño on May 4, 2025. The meeting focused on expanding the EIB’s ongoing support in Bangladesh’s priority sectors.
The EIB, the primary lending institution of the European Union (EU), has been active in Bangladesh since 2000 under a framework agreement with Bangladesh.
To date, the EIB has invested approximately EUR 635 million across six ongoing projects in the health, water supply, transport, and communication sectors.
While its core mandate focuses on EU Member States, the EIB also plays a key role in the EU’s development cooperation efforts with over 160 countries worldwide—particularly in areas such as climate action, innovation, infrastructure, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and skills development.
In a significant development, the EIB has committed EUR 350 million in framework loans to support renewable energy projects in Bangladesh. Additionally, the EU will provide EUR 45 million in grant funding.
These projects aim to promote environmental sustainability and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, in line with Bangladesh’s sustainable development goals.
During the discussion, the Finance Adviser highlighted the urgent need for greater investment in human capital development and infrastructure to address the dual challenges of graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and avoiding the middle-income trap. He urged the EU and its institutions to provide enhanced concessional or subsidized financing in strategic sectors critical to Bangladesh’s development trajectory.
Dr. Ahmed also held a bilateral meeting with representatives of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), a long-standing development partner of Bangladesh. JBIC has provided financing and strategic collaboration for several key projects, including the DAP-II Fertilizer Plant (USD 715.6 million, now fully repaid), the Ghorasal Fertilizer Plant, and the Meghnaghat Power Plant (USD 265 million, co-financed with ADB).
Additionally, the Bangladesh delegation held meetings with Vice President (South, Central, and West Asia) of ADB ingming Yang; the Vice President of the OPEC Fund; and Professor Michael Kremer, Vice President of the Agriculture Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale). These meetings addressed issues of mutual interest and strategic cooperation.
These engagements underscore Bangladesh’s commitment to deepening strategic partnerships with global financial institutions to accelerate sustainable and inclusive economic growth.