The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has postponed finalising a staff-level agreement with Bangladesh, citing ongoing differences with the country’s authorities.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Chris Papageorgiou, the IMF Mission Chief for Bangladesh, during a press briefing in Dhaka.
Papageorgiou, who is leading the visiting IMF delegation, stated that discussions are ongoing and the organisation aims to reach a consensus “in the near term,” potentially during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings scheduled for April 2025 in Washington, DC.
Reaching an agreement is essential for completing the combined third and fourth reviews of the ongoing $4.7 billion loan programme.
Despite the delay, Jayendu De, the IMF’s Resident Representative in Dhaka, indicated that the institution remains committed to supporting Bangladesh. He said the IMF will make efforts to release the fourth and fifth loan tranches before the close of the current fiscal year.
The IMF’s current Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility arrangements with Bangladesh are part of a broader reform effort intended to strengthen the country’s macroeconomic stability, improve fiscal governance, and support inclusive growth.
However, details of the unresolved issues between the IMF team and Bangladeshi policymakers were not disclosed during the briefing.
The delay comes as Bangladesh seeks to stabilise its foreign exchange reserves, address inflationary pressures, and implement structural reforms in line with the IMF-supported programme.
