DHAKA (Reuters) - The World Bank approved on Wednesday a $62.2 million credit to help Bangladesh to control urban air pollution through cutting emissions in key polluting sectors such as transport and brick-making.
The level of air pollutants in the capital Dhaka and other major cities has steadily increased in recent years, with an annual average well exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
"This project will not only help cut pollution and its health impacts and costs but also generate other benefits including better mobility in the case of transport and reduced energy consumption in the case of small industries," a World Bank statement quoted its Bangladesh Country Director Xian Zhu as saying.
More than a third of Bangladesh's population live in cities and estimates suggest that proportion will increase to more than half by 2050.
Most of this population growth is concentrated in and around Dhaka, the eighth largest city in the world.
The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessionary arm, has 40 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period. It carries a service charge of 0.75 percent.
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