Bangladesh may abandon its $4.7 billion IMF loan programme if additional conditions are imposed for future disbursements, warned Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
He came up with the stance during a budget seminar at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in Farmgate on Saturday, May 3.
“Imposing more conditions will weaken our economy,” Chowdhury said, signalling the government’s firm stance against further IMF demands.
The seminar, held ahead of Bangladesh’s 2026 recognition as a developing country, saw agricultural economists urge a higher agriculture budget with clear targets, reduced VAT on poultry feed raw material imports, and improved loan access and incentives for farmers.
Bangladesh secured the IMF loan on January 30, 2023, to bolster dwindling foreign exchange reserves. The country has received three tranches: $476.27 million on February 2, 2023, $682 million on December 16, 2023, and $1.15 billion on June 24, 2024.
However, uncertainty looms over the release of the fourth and fifth instalments, scheduled for disbursement by 2026, as negotiations with the IMF continue.
Source: UNB