Bangladesh took IMF loan as a 'breathing space': PM
Sheikh Hasina’s leadership needed for prosperity: IMF Chief
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh has taken a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a "breathing space".
The prime minister said this while an IMF delegation, led by its Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, paid a courtesy call on her in Washington DC.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters after the meeting.
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The IMF recently approved a loan of $4.7 billion for Bangladesh.
The foreign minister said the IMF chief has highly praised the unprecedented advancement of Bangladesh in various sectors under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina which makes the Bangladesh economy stable after the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Bangladesh is a role model in the world (in terms of its overall development) which makes its economy stable even after the coronavirus pandemic," Momen said, quoting the IMF managing director.
The IMF chief said leadership like that of the Bangladesh prime minister is necessary to go ahead towards prosperity confronting all the hurdles.
She said Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress due to establishing massive infrastructure development, well connectivity and maintaining law and order.
Kristalina also hailed the maintaining stability in the macro economy even in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bangladesh's Prime Minister apprised the IMF chief of her government initiatives to make sure the overall development of her country.
"The development of the country has not been made in a day, rather it's a result of longtime planning," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that she prepared the plan on how she wanted to develop Bangladesh while she was in jail after the changeover and started working on the plan after assuming power for the second time in 2009.
She apprised the IMF chief of Bangladesh's measures to fight the adverse impact of climate change and women's empowerment.
The prime minister hailed the role of the IMF in the journey of Bangladesh's development and wished for the continuation of the support in future.
During the briefing, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder said the IMF has always stood by Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder separately told reporters that the IMF always stood by Bangladesh in the last 14 years to maintain stability in the macroeconomy and also gave required advice so the country never derails from it.
He said that Bangladesh is currently engaged in a programme of $4.7 billion with the IMF which the country got after only two weeks of negotiation despite the fact that many countries cannot avail loans after years of negotiation.
"The IMF will continue this kind of cooperation in future," Rouf said, quoting the IMF chief.
Finance Division Senior Secretary Fatima Yasmin and Economic Relations Division Secretary Sharifa Khan were present during the briefing.
