US cuts global political aid, halts $29 million grant for Bangladesh

United States has cancelled a $29 million grant meant for Bangladesh’s political development, alongside multiple foreign aid projects, as part of sweeping budget cuts by the Trump administration

Staff Correspondent

Publisted at 11:37 AM, Mon Feb 17th, 2025

The United States has revoked a $29 million grant allocated for Bangladesh’s political development, as part of a broader move to cancel multiple foreign aid projects.

The announcement was made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE) in a social media post on X, detailing several programmes that have been scrapped.

DoGE stated, "The following initiatives were set to receive funding from American taxpayers, but all have now been cancelled."

The list of 15 revoked projects includes the Bangladesh political development grant.

Among the other terminated programmes is a $21 million fund aimed at increasing voter turnout in India’s elections, alongside a $39 million allocation for Nepal’s fiscal federalism and biodiversity conservation.

Additionally, Libya’s voter confidence initiative has lost its $15 million support, Mali’s social cohesion project has been stripped of $14 million, and a $2.5 million grant for Southern Africa’s democratic coordination has also been annulled.

Another major cut includes a $47 million programme dedicated to enhancing learning effectiveness across Asia.

The decision has drawn widespread criticism, with many questioning the Trump administration’s stance on foreign political engagement.

According to a report by CNBC, this move has sparked debate over the extent of external influence in various nations' political processes.

Following his re-election, Donald Trump established the DoGE to streamline government spending, appointing billionaire Elon Musk as its head.

The department has already undertaken significant cost-cutting measures, including the dismissal of over 9,500 federal employees last Friday.

Additionally, the administration had earlier announced a suspension of USAID assistance worldwide as part of its broader fiscal policy shifts.

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