Handout                                                                                                      Number: 1543

Credit agreement signed for

Saidabad Water Treatment Plant project

Dhaka, 21 May:

            A Credit Facility Agreement has been signed on 16 May (Wednesday) between the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and Agence Francaise de Developpment (AFD) acting on behalf of the Government of the French Republic on "Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Phase III Project." Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Secretary, Economic Relations Divisions, Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh and Nicolas Fornage, Regional Director of AFD for India and Bangladesh signed the agreement. The signing ceremony was attended by Bourdin Marie Annick, Ambassador of the French republic, high officials from AFD, European Investment Bank, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Kfw and the government of Bangladesh.

            This project is co-financing with AFD as prime financer and EIB (European Investment Bank), DANIDA and Kfw as co-financer. AFD will provide an amount of 115 million Euro as Non-Concessional loan to implement the project. The implementing Ministry of the project is Local Government Division and the executing agency is Dhaka WASA. The purpose of the Project is surface water treatment and it is a continuation of Saidabad Water Treatment Plant (SWTP), presently the major surface water treatment plant in Dhaka. The project intends to provide more reliable and sustainable water supply in Dhaka by developing a new surface water supply scheme.

            France has been providing financial and technical assistance for the                           socio-economic development of Bangladesh. The country has a long history in supporting the water treatment, energy, transport and RMG sectors in Bangladesh. The present agreement is a continuation of development cooperation between the two countries.

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