IMF delegation due in Dhaka today

A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday (April 5) to assess Bangladesh’s progress on various conditions before the disbursement of the next two tranches of the $4.7 billion loan agreement.

The team is expected to hold a meeting with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Sunday morning.

According to the Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance, the team will engage in continuous discussions with various government departments for a two-week period starting from 6 April.

During this visit, the IMF team is scheduled to meet officials of the Finance Division, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Power Division, Power Development Board, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), and Energy and Mineral Resources Division.

On April 17, the mission will conclude with a press briefing to share its assessment and recommendations.

Earlier on January 30, 2023, Bangladesh signed the loan agreement with the IMF and received the first tranche of $476.3 million in February 2023.

The second tranche of $681 million was disbursed in December 2023, followed by the third tranche of $1.15 billion in June 2024.

So far, the country has received a total of $2.31 billion, while $2.39 billion remains outstanding.

The disbursement of the fourth and fifth tranches has encountered challenges, as Bangladesh must fulfil specific IMF conditions.