World Bank President Kim full of praise for hard work of Bangladeshi women

A group of entrepreneuring women have ensured that the hard work of Bengalis receives recognition from someone as eminent as the World Bank president.

Jim Yong Kim, who is on a two day visit to Bangladesh, took a whirlwind three-hour-tour of the southern district of Barisalon Tuesday and listened to the stories of women who have attained self reliance through cattle rearing and fish breeding.
 
The experience left him full of praise for their hard work.
 
He even pledged more funds to help these poor women.
 
He inspected the World Bank financed Social Development Foundation (SDF) project "Nuton Jibon" at Babuganj Upazila’s Dakkhin Rakudia village at 9am.
 

"The people of Bangladesh are very hardworking. More funds will be provided for their development, for poverty eradication and women development," he said.

SDF District Project Officer Nirmalendu Sutradhar said that the World Bank president interacted with women who have benefited from microfinance under "Nuton Jibon" and have started cattle rearing and fish breeding.

After inspecting a couple of projects, he interacted with the press.

Kim expressed satisfaction at the results and said that women so far deprived of opportunity were now able to receive funds and training under the project. This has led to self reliance and their children are going to school, he observed.

Around 10:15am, he went to Bharasakathi village in Ujirpur Upazila, where he inspected a school and a hostel constructed through World Bank finances.

He planted a coconut plant at the school premises.

Kim also visited a house that receives power from a solar power project.

Barisal-2 MP Talukder Md Yunus and other government and non-government officials accompanied the World Bank chief during his visit.

Thereafter he headed back to capital Dhaka by helicopter around 11:40am.

The World Bank president reached Bangladesh on Sunday. On Monday, he observed the End Poverty Day in Dhaka.

On Tuesday evening, he has a meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After that he will hold a press conference at the World Bank Office in the capital.