Staff Correspondent

Yingming Yang, Vice-President (South, Central and West Asia) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), paid a courtesy call on Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Abdul Awal Mintoo at the ministry on Monday.

During the meeting held at the minister's office, both sides discussed various aspects of the long-standing development cooperation between Bangladesh and the ADB, with a focus on tackling the adverse impacts of climate change and strengthening eco-friendly, sustainable development initiatives.

Key topics of discussion included climate adaptation and mitigation, scaling up climate finance, conserving forests and biodiversity, controlling air and plastic pollution, expanding renewable energy usage, and developing environmentally sound urban infrastructure. The two leaders also exchanged views on enhancing ADB's technical and financial assistance for capacity building among vulnerable populations and constructing disaster-resilient infrastructure.

Speaking at the meeting, Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo noted that although Bangladesh is not responsible for climate change, it remains one of the most affected countries globally. He emphasized that the government prioritizes both adaptation and mitigation to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and natural resources.

Mintoo highlighted that adequate, accessible, and long-term financing from development partners is crucial for successfully implementing these initiatives, adding that Bangladesh must first identify its own priorities.

ADB Vice-President Yingming Yang commended Bangladesh's initiatives in addressing climate change impacts and expressed ADB's interest in strengthening its partnership with Bangladesh across environmental protection, climate-resilient infrastructure, clean energy, and sustainable development programs.

Both sides agreed to review ongoing areas of cooperation and explore prospective joint projects and programs. They expressed optimism about advancing development cooperation through regular communication and coordination in the future.

Ministry Additional Secretary Mohammad Navid Shafiullah and senior ADB officials were also present at the m