Govt Seeks Tk 651.4M WB Funding for Rail Project

The Bay Terminal project cost has been revised to Tk 149.09 billion, a 43.07% increase from Tk 104.21 billion, pending ECNEC approval. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) will contribute Tk 46.36 billion, while Tk 102.73 billion is expected from a World Bank loan.

In FY 2023-24, Bangladesh repaid $6.078 billion in foreign loans, a 27% increase from $4.779 billion in FY 2022-23. By the first half of FY 2024-25, total foreign debt surpassed $80 billion. The government secured new loan commitments exceeding $2 billion, with $3.26 billion disbursed.

As of January 2025, 69% ($354 million) of ADB-financed loans for agriculture, food, nature, and rural development in Bangladesh remained undisbursed, the highest among sectors. Overall, 41% ($4.84 billion) of ADB’s total $11.79 billion portfolio remained undisbursed, while 19% ($2.35 billion) was uncontracted.

Bangladesh is now expected to receive the fourth and fifth tranches of the $4.7 billion IMF loan together in June, instead of earlier projections for March. The fourth tranche, initially scheduled for February 10, amounts to $645 million, while the fifth tranche is expected to be around $530 million.

Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Bangladesh will invest $30 million to procure four ship-to-shore (STS) cranes for Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) at Chattogram port, following a $26 million purchase of 14 rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is lending Bangladesh $400 million under its Climate Policy-Based Financing (CPBF) for infrastructure development in climate-critical sectors. Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the funding will be utilized in the 'Climate Resilient Inclusive Development Programme (Sub-programme 2)', implemented by multiple government divisions.