IsDB to give $241.3m for climate-resilient bridges

Bangladesh has signed a $241.3 million financing agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to construct five climate-resilient bridges in the Mymensingh division.

The project, named "Construction of Five Climate-Resilient Bridges in Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh," will be implemented by the Roads and Highways Department under the Road Transport and Highways Division.

The initiative aims to strengthen road connectivity and promote socio-economic inclusion in remote and marginalised communities along the Sunamganj–Jamalpur and Shyamganj–Durgapur border areas, which are frequently disrupted by floods and river erosion, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said in a statement.

The initiative aims to strengthen road connectivity and promote socio-economic inclusion in remote and marginalised communities

The new bridges will be specially engineered to withstand climate shocks, ensuring year-round mobility and reducing travel time for thousands of rural residents, according to the statement.

Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the ERD, and Rami Ahmad, vice president of the IsDB, signed the agreement yesterday on the sidelines of the IsDB Group's annual meeting in Algiers, Algeria.

Among the key dignitaries present were Mohammad Hasan Arif, alternate governor of Bangladesh to the IsDB; Rashed Ahmed, chargé d'affaires at the Bangladesh Embassy in Algiers; and Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, chairman of the IsDB.

Read more

Repair risky bridges and culverts urgently

"This investment is not just about infrastructure—it's about empowering people in vulnerable areas," the ERD said in the statement.

The project supports Bangladesh's broader climate adaptation and resilience goals, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions and Vision 2041 development framework.

Once completed, the bridges are expected to improve the movement of goods and people, facilitate regional trade, and bolster rural livelihoods—particularly in agriculture and small-scale enterprises, the ERD said.