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Wolfensohn tells newsmen at ZIA

I expect substantial talks with govt leaders
World Bank President James D Wolfensohn arrived in Dhaka yesterday to begin a five-day official visit for an appraisal of Bangladesh's development agenda, reports UNB.
This will give me the opportunity to feel what is going on in Bangladesh", he said about his maiden trip to Bangladesh, on the first leg of his two-nation South Asia tour that will also take him to Pakistan.
Finance Minister Shah A M S Kibria received him at the Zia International Airport in the afternoon when he flew into the capital by a British Airways flight from Washington, the
Bank's headquarters.
Wolfensohn is accompanied by his wife Elaine. Senior officials of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an affiliate of the donor agency, are also in the entourage of the Bank's chief executive.
World Bank Country Director Pierre Lendell-Mills. Secretary of the Economic Relations Division Dr Masihur Rahman and senior officials of the Finance Ministry and the World Bank field office were also present at the airport.
Talking to newsmen briefly on his arrival. Wolfensohn said he was looking forward to the visit and expected to have a firsthand experience about the progress made in the country in recent years.
The World Bank chief termed the visit 'overdue' and said he expected to have 'substantial discussion' with government leaders during his stay here In Dhaka.
A visibly tired Wolfensohn, who travelled 23 hours to reach Dhaka, said he would be in a better position after seeing a number of projects and comment during a planned press conference on October 17.
Finance Minister Shah A M S Kibrla told newsmen the government was very happy to welcome the World Bank chief and hoped that the relations between the Bank and Bangladesh would be strengthened oy the visit.
He described the World Bank as friend in need' and said the donor agency had extended its support to the country's struggle against poverty for many many years.
He hoped that the partnership between the World Bank and the country would grow further in the years to come.
World Bank officials in Dhaka said Wolfensohn's visit to Bangladesh is the third by a WB president after Robert McNamara and Louis Preston.
Government officials rate the visit as very important in framing policies for the Bank's future Tending activities and related matters in Bangladesh which requires support from the donor.
The World Bank is one of the largest multilateral donors to the country and Wolfensohn's visit is expected to result in a more active role of the agency in the future development endeavours of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh borrows mostly from the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank's soft-loan window which provides interest-free credit to the poor countries.
Bangladesh has been a member of the World Bank since 1972 and received cumulative commitments to-date of 7.5 billion US dollars for 161 projects.
In fiscal 1997. which ended in June, credits to Bangladesh totalled 321.1 million US dollars for three projects. Today, the Bank's active bankrolling portfolio for Bangladesh includes 24 projects, totalling more than 1.82 billion dollars.