Bangladesh and Sweden ink grant deal to strengthen natural resource management

The Governments of Bangladesh and Sweden signed a grant agreement on Thursday to launch a new project aimed at enhancing Bangladesh’s natural resource management and climate resilience capacity.

Under the agreement, Sweden will provide a grant of approximately 4.9 million SEK (around Tk 6.16 crore) for the initiative titled “Strengthening Capacity of MoEFCC, DoE and BFD for Natural Resource Management and Improved Climate Resilience,” according to BSS.

Running from July 2025 to December 2026, the project aims to boost institutional and strategic capabilities in biodiversity protection and natural resource conservation, said a press release from the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

Its key goals include improving institutional frameworks to align conservation with climate objectives, strengthening monitoring and enforcement in Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs), and laying the groundwork for a dedicated wildlife trust fund to support long-term conservation financing.

The agreement was signed by Dr. A.K.M. Shahabuddin, Acting Secretary of ERD, Ministry of Finance, and Maria Stridsman, Chargé d’affaires and Head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka, representing their respective governments.

Senior officials from the ERD, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Swedish Embassy attended the signing ceremony.