Moyeen Khan seeks expanded French cooperation as Tk 12,500 crore projects move ahead
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan on Wednesday called for deeper development cooperation with France as four French-backed projects worth around 12,500 crore taka move ahead in Bangladesh.
Moyeen made the call during a meeting with French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet at the Secretariat, where the two sides discussed investment, trade, existing development programmes and possible French support for new projects.
They also discussed Bangladesh’s planned purchase of 10 Airbus aircraft and expressed satisfaction over the move.
Moyeen said France had played a longstanding role in Bangladesh’s infrastructure development, particularly in water supply, sanitation and urban management, and that expanding cooperation could take the partnership further.
France is currently providing around 12,500 crore taka through Agence Française de Développement, or AFD, for four projects under the Local Government Division.
The projects are the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Phase III, Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project Phase III, Chattogram Metropolitan Sanitation Project for the North Kattali catchment, and the Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project.
The Saidabad expansion alone is designed to add 450,000 cubic metres of drinking water a day to Dhaka’s supply and benefit nearly 2.5 million people, while reducing the capital’s dependence on groundwater.
A further French-backed initiative — the Water Supply, Inclusive Sanitation and Hygiene Project in Urban and Towns of Bangladesh — is also being prepared, targeting improved water, sanitation and hygiene services in urban and municipal areas.
The meeting also focused on attracting more French investment, expanding bilateral business and trade, completing existing projects effectively and identifying new areas for cooperation.
Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hasan, Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection Wing Director General Shibir Bichitra Barua and other senior officials attended the meeting.
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