Discussions with World Bank-IMF Progress well: Finance Minister

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have expressed their satisfaction with Bangladesh's economic progress amid the current global crisis and the ongoing war in the Middle East. The ongoing discussions with the international organizations are moving forward positively, he added.

His remarks, that he shared with the journalists, came after a meeting with IMF representatives on Thursday at the Sirikit International Convention Center in Bangkok.

The finance minister said that in recent days, Bangladesh's teams have exchanged information and held lengthy discussions with the IMF. At present, reviewing the global context and various indicators of the country's domestic economy, the organization has expressed satisfaction with Bangladesh's overall progress.

Noting that it is natural for the IMF to have observations on some issues, including the banking sector and the tax-GDP ratio, the finance minister said discussions have been held between the two sides on this matter, and many problems have already been resolved. The remaining issues can be resolved through discussion over a long process in the coming months. This is an ongoing process, and Bangladesh's partnership with multilateral organizations like the IMF and the World Bank will continue to remain on the right path and strong in the future.

Regarding the conditions of the new program and reforms, the finance minister made it clear that at this moment no direct loan discussions were held; rather, discussions were held on the country's overall economic program. It is natural for reform programs to have some conditions, and those will be resolved through mutual understanding between the two sides. Besides, discussions have progressed successfully this far because there is a credible strategy for the country's economic reforms.

The finance minister said that issues such as recapitalization of the banking sector, the tax-GDP ratio, and economic stability were also discussed at the meeting. He said discussions are ongoing with multilateral organizations, including the IMF and the World Bank, on these issues. The relevant parties are interested in working together on a partnership basis to advance Bangladesh's economy.