<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">World Bank (WB) Group President Ajay Banga today said the global lender would provide US$ 3.5 billion to support reform initiatives of Bangladesh’s interim government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The WB president announced the assistance at a meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters here on Wednesday (local time).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Banga, a long-time friend of Prof Yunus, said at least US$ two billion would be provided as fresh lending while another US$ 1.5 billion would be repurposed from the existing programmes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the WB would support reforms in digitisation, liquidity, energy, power and transport sectors in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the meeting, Prof Yunus sought the World Bank’s support for the wide-range reforms the Interim government had taken.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He asked the WB to be creative about its lending programme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It is a big opportunity to rebuild the country," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The WB president discussed the energy sector cooperation in South Asia and how hydro energy produced in Nepal and Bhutan could be shared by neighbours such as India and Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Energy and Power Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan was present at the meeting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>