IMF loan is like a character certificate: PM's advisor Mashiur

Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said on Thursday that the IMF loan is like a character certificate.

"If we get this certificate, everyone will show interest in giving us loans," he told a seminar on 'South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Tapping New Opportunities.'

The discussion was jointly organised by Economic Relations Division (ERD) and UNDP in the capital, Dhaka.

Mashiur said that the IMF's lending as budget support means that the economic management of a country is sound.

"If this is the case, other countries or organisations will express interest in lending easily. The investment will also come along with it," he said.

UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis and UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller were present as special guests while ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan presided over the function.

Policy Exchange of Bangladesh CEO and Chairman M Masrur Reaz and Research and Policy Integration for Development (PRI) Chairman Dr MA Razzaque presented the main papers on the topic.

Faizul Islam, additional secretary of ERD and UNDP's Country Economist Nazneen Ahmed also spoke at the event.