Bangladesh, IMF discuss new three-year reform programme
Bangladesh and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) discussed adopting a new programme under the newly elected government that would include priority, implementable reforms over a three-year timeframe, implemented sequentially.
The discussions took place at a virtual meeting between Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke on May 21, according to a press release.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Chowdhury said the government remained committed to macroeconomic stability and structural reforms but noted that the current IMF programme had been adopted under a different economic and policy context.
He added that subsequent domestic conditions, political economy, and global uncertainties had created challenges in implementing some reforms.
The minister said the government was not looking to retreat from reforms but wanted realistic, sequential, and country-specific programmes.
The minister thanked the IMF for its continued cooperation and recalled discussions at the Bank-Fund Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, adding that the government had since reviewed the matter internally.
The IMF deputy managing director welcomed Bangladesh's reform initiatives and expressed hope that the fund's constructive engagement with the country would continue.
Both sides also agreed on a new, realistic, and implementable IMF programme and the expeditious start of related activities.
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