ZCZC
BSS-12
WB-VP-ROHINGYA
WB Vice President due tomorrow
DHAKA, Sept 22, 2018 (BSS) – World Bank (WB) Vice President for the South
Asia Region Hartwig Schafer arrives tomorrow here to further deepen the
longstanding partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank Group and
discuss about the way of helping the country to cope with the Rohingya
crisis.
This is Schafer’s first visit to Bangladesh since assuming his position on
July 1, 2018, said a WB press release here today.
During his stay in Bangladesh, Schafer will visit the Rohingya camps and
meet with local government officials, civil society and non-governmental
organization representatives in Cox’s Bazar.
He will also meet with senior government officials, including the Finance
Minister, the Water Resource Minister as well as the private sector and civil
society leaders.
Schafer will participate in the launching ceremony of a new World Bank
report on “South Asia’s Hotspots: The Impact of Temperature and Precipitation
Changes on Living Standards.”
He will also visit a World Bank supported project, which is upgrading a
unit in the Ghorashal power station to more than double the unit’s
electricity generation capacity.
“Despite its own challenges, Bangladesh has shown great generosity by
sheltering nearly one million Rohingya people. The World Bank is working
closely with the government to help address the needs of the Rohingya until
their safe return to Myanmar and help build the country’s capacity to deal
with the crisis,” the press release quoted Schafer as saying.
He said Bangladesh has a remarkable story of cutting extreme poverty to
half in record time.
“Other countries can learn from Bangladesh’s many development innovations
and successes. I look forward to meeting our partners and see firsthand the
country’s journey to economic growth,” said Schafer.
The World Bank has mobilized up to $400 million on grant terms to help
Bangladesh deal with the crisis.
It has approved the first two operations-totaling about $75 million in
grants-to provide health services and education to the Rohingya, many of whom
are children, youth or women.
BSS/pr/MKD/GMR/1445 hrs