World Bank South Asia Vice President Johannes Zutt concluded a three-day visit to Bangladesh on Tuesday, during which he met with senior government officials including the finance and planning ministers, the commerce minister, the prime minister’s economic adviser, and the Bangladesh Bank governor. Discussions focused on the government’s development priorities and areas where the World Bank Group could provide support.

Zutt stated that the government is prioritizing large-scale job creation alongside skills development and investment, with the World Bank committed to assisting in these goals. He noted that 14 million young people entered Bangladesh’s labor market in the past decade, but only 8.7 million jobs were created, leaving nearly half of the youth unemployed, particularly women facing greater challenges. He emphasized the need for long-pending macroeconomic and financial sector reforms to sustain growth and employment amid global uncertainty.

The World Bank Group continues to support Bangladesh through investments in physical and human infrastructure, promotion of a business-friendly environment, and mobilization of private capital, having provided over $46 billion in grants and concessional loans since independence.