Staff Reporter :
The release of the fourth tranche of Bangladesh’s $4.7 billion budget support loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been deferred until March, primarily due to scheduling adjustments caused by natural disasters.
The matter was originally scheduled for discussion at the IMF executive board meeting on 5 February. However, the meeting has now been postponed to 12 March, according to a senior official of Bangladesh Bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The postponement is attributed to the IMF’s temporary suspension of activities following recent natural disasters. The global lender has outlined several conditions linked to the disbursement of the loan.
A key requirement is the liberalisation of the US dollar exchange rate, which the central bank is reportedly working to align with market trends.
Another significant issue relates to the revenue collection targets set for the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
While IMF officials have expressed concerns over these targets, an NBR source has confirmed that measures to enhance revenue collection are already in progress, with no major obstacles anticipated.
