The European Union (EU) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have pledged their support to Bangladesh’s environmental protection initiatives, aligning with the country’s government priorities. The support will encompass technical assistance, renewable energy projects, electric public transport, capacity building for officials, and strategies to address air and water pollution.
This announcement was made by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Water Resources, during a meeting with an EU-EIB delegation led by EIB Vice President Nicola Beer at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday, read a press release.
Adviser Rizwana Hasan stressed Bangladesh’s pressing need for international collaboration to tackle challenges such as air pollution control, river cleaning, renewable energy adoption, enhanced sewage and water management, biodiversity conservation, and the establishment of an elephant sanctuary. She also underscored the government’s focus on engaging youth in conservation efforts.
Nicola Beer lauded Bangladesh’s interim government for its progressive reforms and reaffirmed the EU and EIB’s dedication to supporting the country with expertise and resources. She highlighted potential areas of collaboration, including afforestation, climate change mitigation, green housing, green bonds, and waste management.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including secretaries from the Environment and Water Resources Ministries, Michael Miller, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh; Nicole Birtsch, Head of the Vice President’s Office at EIB; Edvardas Bumsteinas, Head of Division for Asia & Pacific at EIB; and other high-level representatives from the EU and EIB.
