Govt optimistic to get IMF loan

Staff Reporter :
The government is optimistic about getting a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as there is no problem to get it.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Fatima Yasmin said this to journalists after a meeting with the IMF delegation at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
She said, “There will be no problem in getting a loan from the IMF. Today was the first meeting with IMF representatives. There will be further discussions in this regard.”
Earlier in July last, Bangladesh sent in a formal letter requesting the IMF for $4.5 billion in budget support.
This loan is sought for maintaining balance of transactions and budget support.
The IMF delegation came to Dhaka on a 15-day visit, led by IMF Mission Chief Rahul Anand. The team will stay in the city till November 9. The meeting is said to discuss the future credit programme for Bangladesh and the financial sector reform, as well as policy for new long-term lending.
Besides, the delegation will hold talks with the central bank as well as the policymakers, and other stakeholders of the government.
Bangladesh wants $ 3 billion for balance of payment and budgetary support. The remaining $1.5 billion is sought from the IMF’s new initiative under the Resilience and Sustainable Development Fund (Trust).
Both the party will discuss the reforms in the financial sector, policies for lending programs and fresh long-term lending for Bangladesh during this time.
The Bangladesh Bank Governor recently has said that the IMF is willing to give loans. The IMF delegation will discuss with government policy makers and other stakeholders about that loan program and the reform of the financial sector and policies to provide fresh long-term loans, he added.