The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh yesterday sought additional funds from the World Bank but failed to secure any concrete assurance from the multilateral lending agency.

Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam made the plea at a meeting with the visiting WB president Robert B Zoellick at his Planning Commission office.

The Finance Adviser apprised the World Bank president the overall economic situation of the country, the ongoing reforms and the steps being taken for reforms in the economic sector.

Mirza Azizul Islam briefed newsmen after the meeting.

Earlier, on Saturday evening Zoellick arrived in Dhaka by a special plane on a two-day visit as part of his South Asia trip.

On his arrival at Zia International Airport at 5.30 pm, Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam received him and drove straight to his Planning Ministry office along with Zoellick for a meeting, officials said.

On Sunday Zoellick will meet both the Advisers and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and discuss ways on which the World Bank Group can support Bangladesh's development efforts in becoming a middle-income country by 2020, says a bank release.

Zoellick will meet private sector players, visit a garment factory and learn more about the country's micro-credit initiatives. To this effect he is scheduled to meet Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, civil society members and some newspaper editors.

He will also visit a number of World Bank-supported projects in Bangladesh.

The World Bank chief would conclude his South Asia visit with Bangladesh as he is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Sunday night. Earlier, he visited Pakistan and India.

Zoellick became the 11th President of the World Bank Group on July 1 this year. Prior to joining the Bank, he served as Vice Chairman (International) of the Goldman Sachs Group.

He served as the Deputy Secretary of the US State Department in 2005-06. From 2001-05, he served in the US Cabinet as the US Trade Representative.