<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh expects the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to extend greater support to accelerate the socioeconomic development of its people.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She conveyed the expectation to ADB Vice President (Sector and Themes) Fatima Yasmin who paid a courtesy call on her at Ganabhaban here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM’s Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;“Our main goal is the socioeconomic uplift of the country’s people and inclusive development. The government is attaching priority on the development of rural people,” the premier was quoted as saying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She told the ADB official that her government has focused on enhancing the purchasing power of the country’s people as it would help expand industrialisation and create more job opportunities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hasina mentioned the sectors like climate change adaptation, agriculture, river excavation and restoration where the Manila-based Asian Development Bank can increase its assistance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM called upon the ADP to take more people-centric projects so that a large number of people could benefit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fatima said Bangladesh is a top priority country for the ADB as the regional lender enhanced its support towards the South Asian country five times since 2009 to 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">She told the prime minister that ADB is keen to implement projects centering river restoration as well as river-based tourism, recreation centres and irrigation alongside prioritising climate change adaptation, human and social development, technical education and health sector projects, reports UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Fatima served as the senior secretary in the finance division of Bangladesh before joining the ADB in September last year.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Economic Relations Division Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/fas</div>