Bangladesh will get a credit of US$62. 20 million from the World Bank for the country's Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) project, according to a press release on Wednesday.

Bangladesh has concluded the negotiations with the World Bank and the World Bank Board will tentatively discuss the credit for approval in May this year, a press release from World Bank office said on Wednesday.

CASE is an innovatively designed project that aims at integrating environment and transport concerns towards a common objective of improving Bangladesh's capital Dhaka's air quality, the release said.

World Bank Country Director in Bangladesh Zhu Xian said in the release that the urban air pollution in Bangladesh causes inter- related and numerous adverse impacts on the environment, health, and general well-being.

"Dhaka is one of the most densely populated and fastest growing mega cities (in the world) with high risk of health hazards for its residents due to poor air quality," he said.

Air pollution is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Bangladesh. The project will primarily cover two key air pollutant sectors -- brick construction and transportation, the release said.

The environment component of the project would help the Department of Environment to improve overall air quality management capacity, and to introduce cleaner technologies to improve energy efficiency and reduce air emissions in the brick making sector.

The transport component will focus on low cost measures to reduce conflict between motorized and non-motorized transport, reduce congestion and provide safer and cleaner mobility for those who walk and use public transports in Dhaka.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2009)