Bangladesh approves $23 bn annual development expenditure

Dhaka, May 16 (IANS) The highest economic policy-making body of the Bangladeshi government on Thursday approved a 2.65 trillion taka ($23 billion) Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next fiscal year 2024-25 (July 2024-June 2025).The amount is over 8 per cent higher than that of the revised ADP of the current fiscal year 2023-24 (June 2023-July 2024).After the meeting, Bangladeshi Planning Minister Abdus Salam told journalists that out of the ADP outlay of 2.65 trillion taka for the next fiscal year, 1.65 trillion taka will come from local sources while the rest of 1 trillion taka as foreign project assistance.The ADP for the next fiscal year attaches the highest importance to the transport, communication and education sectors alongside putting priority on ensuring optimum utilization of public funds through checking misuse.A total of 1,321 projects are included in the next fiscal year ADP for execution. (1 US dollar equals about 117 taka).–IANSint/svn