PreviousNext

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) of the Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) held a Joint ADB-KSP Workshop on the development of the Southwest Bangladesh Economic Corridor (SWBEC) on 30 July 2017 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The activity served as the interim workshop for ADB’s ongoing SWBEC study, and as final dissemination workshop for the industrial assessment undertaken by KSP.

The Workshop

• Presented the appropriateness of economic corridor development as a development strategy for the southwest region;
• Provided government agencies with updates on the ongoing economic corridor study, including assessment and suggestions on the industrial situation, state of connectivity, logistics and power infrastructure relevant to the corridor influence area, and institutional and regulatory support needed for corridor development in Bangladesh, and discussed interim findings, offering recommendations on the main trunk of the corridor and location of industrial nodes;
• Presented the industrial assessment undertaken by the KSP team, discussing the industrialization experience of ROK and highlighting implications of industrialization to Bangladesh's economy. The KSP team identified strategies to develop supply chains for priority sectors, increase foreign direct investment, and establish efficient and innovative industrial clusters; and
• Sought stakeholders’ support and guidance on the development of the Comprehensive Development Plan for SWBEC.

A total of 85 participants joined the workshop, with representatives from various government agencies. Mr. Kazuhiko Higuchi, Country Director, Bangladesh Resident Mission, ADB; Mr. Kyeong-Gu Kim, Chief Representative, Korea Eximbank; and Dr. Jiban Ranjan Majumder, Chief, ADB Wing, Economic Relations Division, gave welcome and opening remarks. Mr. Kazi M Aminul Islam, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, chaired the Workshop, and relayed the Government’s utmost support for the economic corridor project.