BD no longer reliant on IMF or WB: Finance adviser

Bangladesh is not reliant on the global lenders and does not wish to accept an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan with all its conditions.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said, “We don’t want to get the IFM loan with all its conditions. We are no longer dependent on the IMF and the World Bank (WB)” he said.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said this while talking to the reporters at his ministry office in the secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon.

Bangladesh sought $1.2 billion budget support from the IMF for the next fiscal year and the global lender has given its consent on it, said the finance adviser.

The authorities concerned held talks with the IMF over releasing the fourth and fifth instalments of the $4.7 billion loan programme together, Salehuddin said, adding that they have been given a positive signal in this regard.

Responding to a query about Trump's tariff policy, he said Bangladesh will remain abstinent from engaging in any type of debate with such a major country and instead views the situation from a positive perspective.

The Trump administration will undertake a new decision on the tariff issue after three months and Bangladesh is being prepared to cope with the new policy, he said.