Bangladesh has expressed its desire to further strengthen and expand development cooperation with France, said Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan.

French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet met the minister at the Secretariat on Wednesday (October 7). During the meeting, they discussed various issues of mutual interest between the two countries.

The discussions covered increasing French investment in Bangladesh, strengthening cooperation in ongoing development projects, assistance for new projects, and expanding trade and business ties. They also discussed Bangladesh’s plan to purchase 10 aircraft from French aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Both the minister and the ambassador expressed satisfaction over the matter.

The minister said France’s longstanding cooperation has played an important role in improving Bangladesh’s infrastructure, water supply, sanitation and urban management. He expressed hope that expanding the scope of such cooperation would give a new dimension to the development partnership between the two countries.

Currently, four projects involving the Ministry of Local Government and the French Development Agency (AFD) are underway. These include the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Phase III, Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project Phase III, Chattogram Metropolitan Sanitation Project for the North Kattoli Catchment, and the Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project.

France is providing around Tk 12,500 crore in project assistance for these initiatives.

In addition, with French assistance, Bangladesh has taken an initiative to implement the “Water Supply, Inclusive Sanitation and Hygiene Project in Seven Towns of Bangladesh” to improve water supply, inclusive sanitation and hygiene facilities in urban and municipal areas.

The meeting also stressed expanding investment and business ties, ensuring effective implementation of ongoing development projects and identifying new areas of cooperation in the future.

Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan, Director General of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection Wing Shibir Bichitra Barua, and senior officials of the ministry were also present at the meeting.