The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a combined $86.7 million in assistance to improve infrastructure and essential services for displaced people from Myanmar and host communities in Bangladesh.

The package includes a $58.6 million grant from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) and a $28.1 million concessional loan.

The funds will support the Integrated Services and Livelihood for Displaced People from Myanmar and Host Communities Improvement Project, focused on Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.

The initiative aims to expand access to water, sanitation, roads, drainage, food security, disaster resilience, and public safety. Special attention will be given to the needs of both the Rohingya and local host populations through tailored interventions.

ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong said the assistance reinforces Bangladesh’s efforts to support displaced people while promoting social cohesion. The new project builds on ADB’s earlier $171.4 million in aid since 2018.

In Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, solar-powered streetlights will be installed, and fecal sludge systems rehabilitated. Nature-based solutions will be applied to restore drainage canals, and inclusive food distribution centers will be constructed.

The project will also build cyclone shelters that double as schools in Hatia, establish piped water systems in nine upazilas, and construct a surface water treatment plant in Ukhia, with a pipeline to Teknaf. Key roads in both regions will be improved to enhance mobility and service access.