Asian Development Bank and Bangladesh: Fact Sheet

Abstract

Updated yearly, this ADB Fact Sheet provides social and economic indicators on Bangladesh as well as concise information on ADB's operations in the country and contact information.Bangladesh joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1973. Cumulative lending amounts to about $12.1 billion for 212 loans, with $202.7 million for technical assistance grants for 363 projects. The country is one of the largest borrowers of concessionary Asian Development Fund resources. The loans and technical assistance grants have supported all key sectors, including energy, transport, social infrastructure, agriculture, and natural resources. ADB has also supported eight private sector projects worth $242.18 million, including the Meghnaghat Power Project—the first build-own-operate power project in the country—and GrameenPhone, which substantially expanded rural access to mobile phone services. In the late 1980s, ADB was primarily a lender for growth-promoting investment projects. In the 1990s, loans became more closely linked to institutional and policy support, with program loans targeted at the agriculture, industry, railway, finance, and energy sectors. There was also a growing emphasis on social infrastructure with focus on human development, gender equality, and poverty reduction. In line with the 1999 country operational strategy, ADB expanded its support into new areas in urban and rural infrastructure, and education to encompass decentralization and good governance.