, May 25 -- Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has said Bangladesh is entering a 'critical new phase' and ADB will help the country protect hard-won stability, unlock new sources of growth, and build a more resilient economy that delivers better jobs and wider opportunity.

He met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka to discuss Bangladesh's development priorities during a visit that highlighted funding announcements totaling $5 billion.

During the visit, ADB signed about $1.4 billion in loans as part of the 2026 annual commitment program, said the Manila-based lending agency on Monday.

ADB support was scaled up by $250 million to help address financing gaps linked to the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, wh...