The World Bank on Monday announced a special 1-billion-dollar fund to fight malnutrition in Bangladesh faced with millions of preschool children suffer stunted growth and underweight.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim made the announcement after a meeting with Bangladeshi Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in Dhaka.

According to official documents, rates of malnutrition in Bangladesh are among the highest in the world, with nearly 6 million preschool-age children stunted and underweight.

Kim arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a three-day visit to recognise Bangladesh’s success in poverty reduction.

More than 15 million people have moved out of poverty in the South Asian country since 1992.

The visiting chief of the lending agency said that the fund would be disbursed during the course of the next two years to improve child health and help tackle malnutrition.

The World Bank said Bangladesh maintained an impressive record on growth and development in the past decade, with nearly 6 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

According to documents, nearly 45 million of its population of 160 million are still living below the poverty line

“We are with Bangladesh. We continue to assist Bangladesh in several areas including climate change, infrastructure development,’’ Kim said.

Kim is scheduled to visit a World Bank project in southern Barisal district on Tuesday to see the progress Bangladesh has made in transitioning successfully to a lower-middle income country. (dpa/NAN)