News & Events
A World Bank team conducted a mission from 19 to 23 January 2025 to observe field-level activities and assess the pre-feasibility of installing biogas plants in dairy clusters under the SMART project, implemented by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). The mission included meetings, field visits, and stakeholder engagements across Sirajganj, Pabna, and Munshiganj districts.
The mission began on 19 January with a kick-off meeting at the PKSF headquarters, chaired by Md. Mashiar Rahman, Deputy Managing Director of PKSF. Discussions were also held with senior officials from PKSF and representatives from other stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Biogas Development Foundation (BBDF).
From 20 to 22 January, the team conducted technical field visits to dairy clusters in Sirajganj, Pabna, and Munshiganj. These visits aimed to evaluate the implementation of biogas and Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices, as well as assess progress in subsectors such as dairy, loom, and textile microenterprises under the SMART project.
In Sirajganj, the team visited dairy product and loom subsectors implemented through the National Development Programme (NDP), interacting with local micro-entrepreneurs. The team also explored the potential for expanding project activities in the dairy cluster of Pabna. On 22 January, the mission visited Munshiganj to review dairy activities implemented by the Resource Integration Centre (RIC).
These field visits provided critical insights into the project’s impact on micro-entrepreneurs and its role in promoting sustainable and resilient business practices in the target sectors. The World Bank team emphasized the importance of engaging local communities to ensure the success of project interventions.
The mission concluded on 23 January with meetings involving government and private agencies to explore the feasibility of establishing community-based biogas plants in the dairy clusters.
The mission was led by Eun Joo Allison, Task Team Leader of the SMART project and Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. She was accompanied by Gokul Chandra Biswas, Project Coordinator of the SMART project and General Manager of PKSF, along with officials from PKSF and its partner organizations.
