A high-level delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday for a five-day visit to discuss a possible new loan programme and assess the government's proposed macroeconomic reform agenda.
The mission comes at a crucial time as the newly formed government has sought a fresh three-year IMF-supported programme tailored to the country's current macroeconomic challenges, moving away from the previous lending arrangement.
According to Ministry of Finance sources, the delegation will hold a series of meetings with officials from the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and other relevant government agencies.
The discussions will focus on the feasibility, size and structure of a new financial assistance package, while reviewing the country's macroeconomic outlook and the government's capacity to implement key structural reforms.
The IMF team is expected to examine a wide range of issues, including the stability of the banking sector, measures to reduce non-performing loans, progress in tax administration and revenue reforms, the country's foreign exchange reserve position, public debt management and the overall framework of the proposed lending programme.
Former IMF official and former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H. Mansur said the primary objective of the visit is to assess the government's commitment to carrying out deep structural reforms.
He noted that several key reform measures under the previous IMF-supported programme had remained incomplete, making the government's new reform roadmap a central focus of the discussions.
According to Dr Mansur, restructuring the National Board of Revenue, addressing vulnerabilities in the banking sector and fully implementing a market-based exchange rate regime are expected to feature prominently during the talks.
The IMF delegation is also expected to discuss the fiscal implications of the proposed Ninth National Pay Scale, including its affordability and possible financing sources following the announcement of the national budget.
The five-day mission is expected to assess both the government's administrative capacity and political commitment to implementing the structural reforms required under a potential new IMF-supported programme.
