ADB Approves USD 115.8M to Turn Narayanganj into a ‘Green and Resilient’ City

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has greenlit a USD 115.8 million loan aimed at transforming Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) into a more resilient and environmentally sustainable urban hub.

Titled the "Narayanganj Green and Resilient Urban Development Project," the initiative is designed to modernize essential infrastructure, including water supply and drainage systems while expanding green public spaces for at least 400,000 residents.

A primary focus of the project is the drastic improvement of water supply efficiency. The ADB plans to reduce "nonrevenue water" (water lost before reaching the consumer) to below 20% by replacing and expanding 230 kilometers of pipeline.

According to the bank's release, the installation of metered household connections and district metered area systems will be complemented by digital technologies, such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), to streamline online billing and revenue collection.

The project aims to boost NCC’s total water capacity from 113 million liters per day to 162 million liters per day. This will be achieved through:

To combat the growing threat of extreme weather and urban flooding, the project will develop 22 kilometers of drainage infrastructure using nature-based solutions. A key goal is to raise the share of surface water across the city to 51%, which will help enhance groundwater recharge.

Additionally, the project includes the construction of inclusive green parks and the rehabilitation of local playgrounds. 

These spaces are intended to improve the city's livability and mitigate the "urban heat island" effect. NCC will be tasked with the long-term operation and maintenance of these new facilities.

ADB Country Director for Bangladesh, Hoe Yun Jeong, emphasized the strategic importance of the city, stating, “Narayanganj is central to Bangladesh’s urban transformation. 

As urbanization accelerates and environmental risks intensify, strengthening urban services is both a development and economic imperative.”

He added that investments in reliable water and green spaces will "enhance productivity, support economic growth, and contribute to long-term human capital development."

Feature	Target / Objective
Water Capacity	Increase from 113M to 162M liters per day
Pipeline Network	230 km of new/replaced pipes
Drainage	22 km of nature-based infrastructure
Water Loss	Reduce nonrevenue water to below 20%
Beneficiaries	Over 400,000 city residents

With Inputs from UNB