World Bank Supports Bridge to Transform Lives of 30 Million People in Southwest Bangladesh
WASHINGTON, 24 February, 2011: In order to improve connectivity (samfærdslen) and boost opportunities for people in Southwest Bangladesh, the World Bank Thursday approved a 1,2 billion US dollar concessional (fordelagtig) IDA credit to Bangladesh for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.
Spanning the Padma River, the world’s third largest; the 6,1 kilometer long bridge will connect nearly 30 million people in the Southwest region to the rest of country, enhancing (fremme) their access to markets and services while accelerating growth in the South Asian nation as a whole.
(Til sammenligning er den kombinerede vej- og jernbanelavbro, “Vest-broen”, over Storebælt fra Knudshoved til Sprogø 6,6 km lang, red.).
The bridge is the largest IDA credit ever (IDA er Verdensbankens “vindue” for gaver og særligt attraktive lån til de fattigste lande, red).
It will reduce distances to the capital, Dhaka, by about 100 km while cutting travel times in half from most areas of Southwest Bangladesh. Today people have to cross by using unreliable ferry-connections – se også en projekt-video fra Verdensbanken på
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fMofjW4TMw
Given its size, complexity and expected impact on local communities, the project includes state of the art safeguards and accountability features (forholdsregler for ansvarlighed). Transparency has been emphasized throughout every step of its preparation and design.
– We have been working closely with the Government here on a Gover-nance and Accountability Action Plan that ensures strict supervision to prevent fraud (svindel) or corruption, and guarantees quality and trans-parency, said Isabel Guerrero, World Bank South Asia Vice President.
– The construction of the bridge would fulfill the long-standing dream of the people of the Southwest region to have a permanent crossing over the Padma River, she added.
Furthermore, the project will adhere fully to (leve op til) Bangladesh’s Right to Information Act and will include information sharing through the project website, social media, newsletters, and broadcasts on radio and television, according to the World Bank.
Accountability will also be strengthened through third party monitoring by an independent panel of experts, community-based “accountability meetings” to review social and resettlement action plans and the appointment of an independent Project Integrity Advisor reporting directly to the Prime Minister.
The World Bank has already financed 60 million dollar for environmen-tal and social actions to ensure that the lives of families in the construc-tion zone are better. The development of resettlement sites is underway to protect the land, homes, livelihoods and community assets of local residents.
– I have witnessed the tremendous support of local people for the bridge and believe it will have far reaching economic and social benefits, inclu-ding faster growth, new jobs, enhanced connectivity and trade within the country and in the broader region, and improved protection against river bank erosion and floods, said Ellen Goldstein, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh.
– We have also begun identifying with the government a comprehensive development plan for the Southwest region in order to maximize the benefits from the bridge, noted she.
Additionally, the bridge will enhance regional trade and collaboration along the Asian highway No.1 and the Trans-Asian railway network systems.
It will also connect the two major sea ports in Bangladesh and the river draining work will help control river erosion and flooding locally which is a major cause of landlessness and extreme poverty in that area.
The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional lending arm, has 40-year maturity (løbetid), including a 10-year grace (afdragsfri) period; it carries a service charge of 0,75 percent.
Kilde: Verdensbanken
For more project information, please visit:
http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P111017
For more information on the World Bank in Bangladesh, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/bd
