Bangladesh has sent a proposal to the World Bank seeking finances for its $5.15-billion Ganges Barrage project, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday.

“I have given (to the World Bank) the Ganges Barrage project much earlier,” he told reporters after a meeting with WB Vice President for South Asia Hartwig Schafer at the Sonargaon hotel in Dhaka.

The Ganges Barrage scheme is a top priority project under the government's 100-year Delta Plan 2100, which was approved by the National Economic Council on September 4.

The barrage project is one of the 80 top priority schemes to be implemented by 2031 at an estimated cost of about $37 billion under the Plan.

Muhith said the WB will surely participate in the Plan as it is Bangladesh's largest donor.

Schafer told reporters that the good use of the WB's financial support is reflecting in Bangladesh's growth numbers. In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh used about $3 billion.

He said, “I am delighted to see how our support is improving the life of the people of Bangladesh and improving the prospects of the young generation.”

Schafer said the WB would help the country with knowledge and resources to strengthen its resilience to natural disasters. The vice-president visited various Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar on Monday and Tuesday. 

Schafer said the Bangladesh government has provided tremendous support to the Rohingya refugees and the global community is recognising it.

“That's why the World Bank is supporting the government to enhance its capacity to serve the refugees.”