Dhaka, 28. June: Aid disbursements (forbruget af bistandsmidler) are likely to be relatively low in Bangladesh in the outgoing fiscal year (finansår) 2005-06, showing a yawning gap (dyb kløft) between the donors commitment (tilsagn) and the actual fund flow.
According to the latest figures, the poor South Asian country received development assistance from donor countries and agencies amounting to 1,10 billion US dollar (6,4 milliarder DKR) in the first 11 months of the fiscal year (2005-06), much lower than the projection about foreign aid receipt.
Officials of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said the projection for foreign aid inflow was 3,58 billion dollar for the current fiscal year (2006-2007).
Of the total aid disbursement, the share of the World Bank (WB) was 83 million dollar alone. However, the multilateral agencys disbursement included the third tranche of the Development Support Credit (DSC), released last year.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), another major donor of the country, was supposed to provide 732,88 million dollar under 16 projects during the same period, but the rate of fund release is still less than expected.
Official sources said disbursement of aid by other development partners was lower through the government channel. Instead, they preferred to provide aid through the non-government groups.
Sources said the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) channelled virtually no aid to the government in the outgoing fiscal. The USAIDs commitment was 88,59 million dollar during the same period.
There was no release of money from DENMARK, IFAD and Norway. Denmark made commitment (tilsagn) worth 34 million dollar (ca. 200 millioner DKR) , IFAD 24 million dollar and Norway 5 million dollar.
Meantime, the commitment of the WB for the fiscal 2006-07 stands at more than 220 million dollar.
According to commitment made by donors, 150 million dollar is to come as the fourth tranche of the Development Support Credit (DSC), and another 150 million dollar, for the National Agriculture Technical Project.
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) would pump around 29 million dollar into three projects, while the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, 15 million dollar.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is now holding talks with the government for financing three major projects, including the construction of Grid Substation.
The Japanese agency would provide 41 million dollar for Grid Substation, 71 million for Telecommunications Network Development Project and 109 million for the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project.
Similarly, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is expected to provide 39 million dollar, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), 36 million.
Of the United Nations agencies, the UN Development Programme (UNDP)s commitment stands at a staggering 266 million dollar.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN Fund for Population (UNFPA) and the UN Children Fund (UNICEF) would provide 5 million dollar, 8 million and 54 million respectively.
Kilder: The Financial Express (Dhaka) og The Push Journal
