Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury remains confident that Bangladesh will achieve its 6.5 per cent GDP growth target in the current fiscal year, despite the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) forecast of slower growth and persistently high inflation.
The IMF, in a report released on Tuesday, projected GDP growth at 3.2 per cent in FY2026-27 and inflation at 10.9 per cent, significantly diverging from the government’s economic targets.
“We do not want to debate anyone’s projections,” the finance minister on Tuesday told journalists on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
“They have provided their calculation, and we are carrying on with our work. We hope the projection outlined in our budget can be attained.”
Amir Khosru said he had held follow-up talks with the World Bank’s vice-president and managing director, adding that discussions were progressing on track.
Bangladesh is also negotiating with the IMF for fresh financial support in FY2026-27 to address economic uncertainties arising from the Middle East conflict.
The minister said the World Bank had appreciated the government’s efforts to tackle the economic crisis it inherited, including past liabilities and the impact of global conflicts.
The lender had endorsed the government’s economic programme and short-, medium- and long-term policy direction, and was ready to continue its support, he added.
He said the discussions would continue for several months, cautioning that it was too early to expect a final decision. Further talks would take place in Dhaka.
Bangladesh secured a $4.7 billion IMF loan programme in January 2023 under the previous Awami League government. The interim government later increased it to $5.5 billion.
In May this year, the BNP-led government decided to exit the programme eight months before its expiry and subsequently sought a fresh package, according to a 3 June statement by Ivo Krznar, the IMF’s mission chief for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has so far received $3.8 billion in five instalments under the original $4.7 billion programme.
Multilateral financing has become increasingly important as geopolitical tensions and the Middle East war raise uncertainty and energy costs for Bangladesh, which depends heavily on imported energy.