def METHOD_NAME(filename: str) -> dict[str, str]:
    ret = {}
    with open(filename, encoding='UTF-8') as f:
        for line in f:
            try:
                k, v = line.split('=')
            except ValueError:  # blank line / comment / etc.
                continue
            else:
                ret[k.strip()] = v.strip()
    return ret