Governments of Bangladesh and Australia Sign Memorandum of Understanding on

MEDIA RELEASE

Released By:
Sullivan

I am pleased to announce that Australia has today signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) on the framework for future overseas aid to Bangladesh.
I signed this agreement with the Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Mr Abul Hasan Chowdhury. This was witnessed by the Prime Minister
of Bangladesh, the Honourable Sheikh Hasina and the Prime Minister of
Australia, the Honourable John Howard MP.

The signing of the MOU today marks Australia's continued commitment to
assist Bangladesh address development priorities.

Australian aid to Bangladesh in the 1999-2000 financial year is estimated
to be $A36.3 million. The program is focussed on poverty reduction, food
aid, agriculture, human resource management, human rights, and the redevelopment
of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.

I am particularly pleased to announce that Australia will fund a $690,000
extension of an innovative primary school education project in Bangladesh
to provide quality education for thousands of poor children living in
the north west of the country, in the Pancagarh District.

Almost 15 million Bangladeshi children are enrolled in primary school
yet only approximately 7million finish their studies, mainly due
to poverty and pressure to stay at home and work. The Australian Government
through its overseas aid program - is working with the Government of
Bangladesh to increase retention rates for poor children enrolled in primary
schools.

The Intensive District Approach to Education for All (IDEAL) Project
is jointly funded by UNICEF and the Australian Government. It is known
for its innovative approaches in training teachers to run schools and
teach students in a style that is responsive and relevant to the needs
of rural communities. This has proven to be an effective strategy to increase
the numbers of children who complete primary school in other parts of
rural Bangladesh.

Australia has already agreed to provide $7 million to assist one million
primary school children living in the Dinajpur District to attend schools
which use IDEAL teacher training and management, and this project will
now be extended to the neighbouring Pancagarh District.