PM seeks WB special fund for women entrepreneurs

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought a special fund from the World Bank (WB) to create more women entrepreneurs for their socio-economic advancement and more loan at concessionary rate to implement climate related projects.

"The WB can give a special fund for socio-economic development of the womenfolk in Bangladesh. The special fund will expedite the government efforts to create women entrepreneurs," she said.

The prime minister made the remarks when WB Managing Director (Operations) Anna Bjerde paid a courtesy call on her at the National Parliament in Dhaka on Sunday (February 25) afternoon, said PM's Speechwriter M Nazrul Islam while briefing the newsmen after the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh ensures sustainable development while implementing any project or development programmes involving climate change and climate resilience issues.

She said Bangladesh is one of the pioneers in sustainable development programme. "WB can provide more loans to us at concessionary rate for the climate change and climate resilience projects," she added.

On containing differences of foreign currencies between market rate and bank rate, she said that central bank has rolled out a plan to introduce a crawling peg system for taka to regulate abrupt fluctuations of its value.

Anna Bjerde put emphasis on the reforms of macro and micro economy of Bangladesh. "We are assisting Bangladesh to pursue the reforms and will continue the cooperation for expediting the reforms," she said.

Stressing the need for quick implementation of the World Bank funded projects, she said, "Bangladesh will get new fund as soon as the World Bank funded projects will be implemented."