Dhaka, June 19 -- Bangladesh has achieved the fastest growth in the Asia-Pacific economies comprised of 45 countries, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In the outgoing fiscal year of 2018-19, the AD said, the country attained 7.9 percent growth which was fastest expansion since 1974.

The bank predicted that the growth will be 8 percent in the FY2019 and FY2020, terming it a new record.

"Bangladesh will continue to be the fastest in the Asia-Pacific," the bank said in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO).

ADB Country Director for its Bangladesh resident mission Manmohan Parkash handed over the ADO to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Sangsad Bhaban office.

The ADO, the annual publication of the ADB, evaluates and forecas...