DHAKA: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has awarded four winners of an essay competition celebrating its 50th founding anniversary.
Hun Kim, Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department handed over prizes to the winners at ADB’s Bangladesh Resident Mission in Dhaka on 18 April 2017.
Toufikul Islam, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Dhaka University won the first prize. Arefin Mizan, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University; and Tanvir Ahmed, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka won the second and third prizes respectively. Sumaiya Akhter, Department of Accounting and Information Systems, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka received a special award.
The first prize of the competition is $500; the second prize, $300; third prize, $200; and the special prize, $100.
The topic of the essay competition for university students in Bangladesh was “Transforming Bangladesh into a Developed Country by 2041: Role of ADB”. A total of 113 students participated in the competition.
“I am pleased to see wide participation in the competition. This reflects the youths’ interests in ADB operations in Bangladesh,” said Director General Hun Kim.
“I look forward to further enhancing our deep and productive partnership with Bangladesh as we work together for the country’s future development”.
Bangladesh joined ADB in 1973. As of 31 December 2016, ADB’s cumulative lending to Bangladesh stood at $18.3 billion for 269 loans, $252.4 million for 422 technical assistance projects, and $787.10 million for 35 grants.
As of 31 March 2017, ADB’s projects under implementation for Bangladesh comprised 90 loans and grants amounting to $7.6 billion; and 32 technical assistance projects amounting at $28.58 million.
ADB focuses its cooperation in Bangladesh on six sectors—energy; transport; water and other urban/municipal infrastructure and services; education; finance; and agriculture, natural resources, and rural development.
In 2016, ADB approved 10 projects for Bangladesh, with loans totaling $1.1 billion and technical assistance of $7.85 million.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, ADB is celebrating 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members—48 from the region.
BDST: 1915 HRS, APR 19, 2017
AP
