World Bank launches its first road safety project in South Asia

Category : International Published on: June 17 2023

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The World Bank (WB) launched its first dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a USD 358 million financing agreement signed in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh.
The Road Safety Project, which receives $358 million financing from the World Bank, is the first dedicated road safety project in South Asia supported by the World Bank.
The project seeks to improve road safety and reduce fatalities and injuries from road crashes in selected cities, high-risk highways, and district roads.
Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6), will be taken up for the implementation of this project.
The project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care. These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30 percent on these two highways.
Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA program totaling $16.3 billion. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed about $40 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country since its independence.