IMF to release $1.3bn loan for Bangladesh in June

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to disburse $1.3 billion in June as part of Bangladesh’s ongoing $4.7 billion loan programme.

The decision came after a series of meetings in Washington between Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur and top IMF officials, according to the central bank.

The disbursement, covering the third and fourth tranches under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), Extended Credit Facility (ECF), and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), had been delayed over concerns about exchange rate flexibility and Bangladesh’s low tax-to-GDP ratio.

An IMF team, led by Chris Papageorgiou, visited Dhaka from 6–17 April to assess reform progress.

Dr Mansur is expected to brief the media on the outcome of the talks during a virtual press conference from Dubai on Wednesday (May 14).