BANGLADESH DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS
- Bangladesh is the 10th most rapidly growing economy among 31 large developing countries with populations above 20 million, with GDP growth averaging 5% since 1990s.
- Income poverty in Bangladesh declined by 1 percentage point per year since 1990 – faster than almost all other developing countries.
- Primary school enrollment is almost 100% - one of the highest rates in the developing world. The ratio of girls to boys in primary school is higher than most developing countries.
- Bangladesh is the only country to have eradicated polio in South Asia. 77% of all children are immunized before age 2, a national coverage rate far exceeding that of India or Pakistan.
- Bangladesh has consistently allocated its budget in a pro-poor way, injecting substantial public resources into education and health. Bangladesh’s military expenditures are the lowest by far of any country in the region, as a percentage of GDP.
- While infant and child mortality remains high, Bangladesh has reduced this scourge faster than any other developing country.
- Despite progress, governance and corruption remain a major concern in Bangladesh. Bangladesh performs poorly relative to other low income countries in political stability, regulatory quality and control of corruption.
WORLD BANK PROGRAMS IN BANGLADESH
- Bangladesh is the World Bank’s third largest borrower of IDA credits (concessional, no-interest credits repayable in 35 to 40 years). In FY05, the World Bank committed $600 million to Bangladesh -- equivalent to $4.5 per capita -- aimed at supporting growth and empowering the poor through health, education and community development.
- Supporting the Government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRSP), a Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) is being prepared, jointly with DFID, ADB and Japan. The CAS puts governance at center stage. Empowering the poor and improving the investment climate are its two program pillars.
GOVERNANCE
- The World Bank is supporting public procurement reform -- the Public Procurement Law., prepared with World Bank assistance now governs all public purchases.
- Core governance reforms in public administration, financial management, tax & customs administration, public expenditure management, bank regulation and supervision are being supported by World Bank policy-based Development Support Credits (DSC). DSCs also support strengthening of the Controller and Auditor General, operationalization of the Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as a range of sector governance reforms, in the health sector, education, energy, telecoms deregulation, and closure of state-owned enterprises.
EDUCATION
- The World Bank is providing $150m to Primary Education Development Program (PEDP II) to reduce drop-out rates, improve teaching quality and ensure timely delivery of textbooks.
- The World Bank provided $51m to educate 500,000 currently out-of-school children
- A $53m credit is financing literacy education for non-literate citizens over school-going age
- A National Registration and Certification Authority, to ensure only qualified teachers are certified and allowed to teach, was supported by World Bank’s Secondary Education DSC.
HEALTH AND ACCESS TO SAFE WATER
- The World Bank provided $300 million to improve maternal and infant mortality and improve delivery of health services, leading a Consortium of other donors in HNPSP.
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