According to ERD, USAID funding accounts for only 9.5 percent compared with JICA, 8.08 percent with the World Bank, and 8.45 percent with ADB.
The Chief Advisor’s Office has released funding comparisons, alleging “a campaign of lies” in Indian media regarding US contributions to Bangladesh’s development over President Trump’s decision to freeze US aid across the globe.
In its verified Facebook page styled, The CA Press Wing Facts, it said certain Indian media outlets are running a “disinformation campaign” about the US President Donald Trump suspending global aid.
“This decision applies to all countries, including India and Bangladesh. One thing the Indian newspapers don’t know or are deliberately avoiding is that US aid accounts for a tiny part of Bangladesh’s development spending.”
Upon assuming office for a second term, President Trump suspended foreign aid for 90 days, affecting billions of dollars in funding for global programmes under the US State Department and the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID.
CNN reported that in February, the Trump administration would establish criteria to review whether existing US foreign aid aligns with his foreign policy. Based on this review, aid programmes would either continue, be revised, or be terminated.
Following Trump’s executive order, USAID notified implementing authorities and agencies in Bangladesh about the 90-day suspension of all project-related assistance.
The funding freeze has already impacted various public and private sector institutions in Bangladesh.
However, the Bangladesh government clarified that emergency food assistance for Rohingya refugees would remain exempt from the suspension.
Meanwhile, the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh – icddr,b – has announced that it will gradually lay off more than 1,000 employees working on US-funded projects.
