AIIB directors to visit development projects

A high-powered delegation from China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will visit Bangladesh to inspect some development projects, officials said on Thursday.

Officials at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said a 14-member delegation headed by vice-president of the AIIB arrives in Dhaka on Sunday on a five-day visit.

Besides the vice-president, the delegation includes three directors of the board, three alternative directors and higher officials of the China-based development partner.

The AIIB team will mainly visit five development projects including the Japan-funded Matarbari power plant.

The team will also meet state minister for power, businessmen, key development partners and representatives of the civil society during its five-day visit, said an ERD official.

He said the delegation will not only visit its own-funded projects in Bangladesh, it will also visit development projects funded by other development partners to assess the development work in Bangladesh.

The AIIB has so far confirmed funding for three power and energy sector development projects in Bangladesh.

The ERD official said on Monday, AIIB team will go to Dhamrai to visit a solar power project of the state-run Rural Electrification Board (REB).

On Tuesday, it will visit 1200MW ongoing Matarbari coal-fired power plant project.

Besides, it will visit renewable energy projects of IDCOL, power distribution system upgrades project at Uttara and Bashundhara areas in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The AIIB delegation will also meet the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Wednesday.

It will sit for discussion with the state-run Public Private Partnership Authority and the private sector think-tank Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI) on the same day.

The AIIB delegation will depart Dhaka on Thursday.

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