Bangladesh seeks stronger development cooperation with France: Moyeen

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan has said on Wednesday that Bangladesh wants to further strengthen and expand development cooperation with France.

He made the remarks when French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet paid a courtesy call on him at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

The two sides discussed increasing French investment in Bangladesh, strengthening cooperation in ongoing development projects, assistance for new projects and expanding bilateral trade and business.

They also discussed the Bangladesh government’s plan to purchase 10 aircraft from French aerospace company Airbus, with both sides expressing satisfaction over the matter.

The minister said France’s longstanding cooperation has played an important role in developing Bangladesh’s infrastructure, water supply, sanitation and urban management.

He said expanding such cooperation in the future could take the development partnership between the two countries to a new level.

Currently, four projects under the Local Government Division are being implemented with support from France’s development agency Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

The projects are the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Phase III, Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project Phase III, Chattogram Metropolitan Sanitation Project for North Kattali Catchment, and Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project.

France is providing around Tk12,500 crore in project assistance for these initiatives, according to the ministry.

An initiative has also been taken with French assistance to implement the Water Supply, Inclusive Sanitation and Hygiene Project in Seven Towns of Bangladesh to improve water supply, inclusive sanitation and hygiene in urban and municipal areas.

The meeting also emphasised expanding investment and business ties, ensuring effective implementation of ongoing development projects and exploring new areas of cooperation.

Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan, Director General of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection Wing Shibir Bichitra Barua and senior officials of the ministry were present at the meeting.