Bangla Press Desk: Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said on Sunday that the interim government will present a manageable and realistic budget for the forthcoming 2025-26 fiscal year even if support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is not received.
Following a meeting with Yingming Yang, ADB vice president for South, Central, and West Asia, at his office, the finance adviser said, “The ADB vice president wanted to understand the state of our economy. We informed him that the economic situation has improved compared to previous periods.
“There has been notable progress in our macroeconomic indicators, especially within the banking sector and trade. A private-sector summit is also being planned to explore developments in the trade domain.”
When asked whether delays in IMF loan disbursements might affect ADB’s budgetary support, the finance adviser responded, “Budget support matters are monitored by the IMF, which has shown interest in our macroeconomic stability. Discussions are ongoing, and we are optimistic that the issues will be resolved.”
The finance adviser added that the ADB is closely engaged in supporting Bangladesh’s development agenda, including project financing and reforms in both the banking sector and the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Addressing a question about short-term budget support, Salehuddin said, “We are hopeful about receiving assistance. The ADB’s soft-landing window is gradually becoming accessible. We’ve requested support through their Ordinary Capital Resources Contingency Facility (OCF) fund, although they indicated the fund has limited capacity. Nonetheless, they agreed to review the request.”
The adviser emphasised that the government is taking domestic measures to strengthen fiscal resilience.
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BP/ZE
