The World Bank’s Board of Directors has endorsed a new Country Assistance Strategy for Bangladesh with a record loan amount totalling more than six billion US Dollars over the next four years beginning from 2011-14. The new strategy is aimed at supporting Bangladesh government’s efforts to sustain a growth rate of at least 8 per cent per annum in order to achieve its goal of reducing the number of people below poverty line from the present 40 per cent to 15 per cent of the population and also to become a middle income country by 2021.The new strategy includes 1.2 billion US Dollars support for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge which is a top priority of the Bangladesh Government to unlock the economic potential of the lagging Southwest Region in addition to enhancing investments in other infrastructure projects in sectors like power and gas.