Kamal now turns to IsDB for help

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday approached the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) seeking assistance in the areas of food security, health and agriculture sector development and mechanisation as part of the government's efforts to pull the country out of the pits that the global coronavirus pandemic has nudged it to.

He sought the assistance while speaking to Bandar MH Hajjar, president of the multilateral development lender, during a teleconference, the finance ministry said in a press release.

"Under the present circumstances, our major challenge is to mobilise financing. Ensuring food security for the people and rehabilitating the affected the low-income people are the most important need of the hour," Kamal said. 

Hajjar assured the finance minister of the group's assistance in all of the areas. The IsDB and Bangladesh would sit together to discuss and fix the issues of financing and timelines, he said, according to the press release.

Jeddah-based IsDB has announced a $2.3 billion package to help its 57 member countries fight the coronavirus pandemic.

A founding member of the IsDB, Bangladesh is currently implementing 11 projects bankrolled by the lender.