Shawdesh Desk:

World Bank executive director Parameswaran Iyer on Thursday said that developing countries could follow Bangladesh’s development model as he paid a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.

‘Bangladesh made phenomenal transformation in development with specific plans under prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s prudent leadership. Other developing countries can follow Bangladesh development model,’ PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted Iyer as saying in a media briefing after the meeting.

According to Karim, the prime minister apprised the WB official of her government’s uplift programmes to ensure Bangladesh’s overall development.

Bangladesh witnessed huge development as her government and party (Awami League) do everything after formulating specific plans, Sheikh Hasina said.

‘Our main target is to alleviate poverty as we want to ensure better life to every person,’ she said.

The WB executive director assured Bangladesh of extending cooperation in its infrastructure development in next phase of advancement.

He said his organisation has already provided $700 millions for relocation of Rohingyas.

The prime minister said that the Rohingyas would have to return to their homeland Myanmar.

About the climate change, she said that Bangladesh had to suffer badly the adverse impact of climate change despite the fact, ‘We are not carbon emitter’.

Iyer, however, told the prime minister that the WB would assist Bangladesh in implementing its Delta Plan-2100.

Sheikh Hasina said that the WB was lending technical assistance for ecological restoration and ensuring navigability of rivers surrounding Dhaka city with a view to making the city more livable under an umbrella investment programme.

The WB official also appreciated Bangladesh’s sanitation system, saying ‘The country’s sanitation system is remarkable.’

He also highly praised the private sector’s role in the development describing it as thriving.

The prime minister said her government had given every required support to flourish private sector.

‘We have opened everything to private sector,’ she said.

Alternative executive director of the WB Ahmad Kaikaus, prime minister’s office secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Economic Relations Division secretary Sharifa Khan were present at the meeting, among others.