Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that the current government may not accept all the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under Bangladesh’s existing loan programme.

Speaking after returning from the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, he explained that the loan agreement was made during the previous Awami League government. He added that the current government, led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, will decide which conditions are acceptable based on public interest.

The minister said the current IMF programme will end in about six to seven months. After that, the government will decide whether to continue with a new IMF programme or not.

He also mentioned that discussions with the IMF are still ongoing and may continue for a few more weeks. However, he did not specify which IMF conditions the government disagrees with.

At the same time, talks with other global lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have mostly been completed.

Reports suggest that the IMF has delayed the next loan payment because Bangladesh has not fully met some reform conditions, especially in the banking and revenue sectors. The IMF has also suggested that Bangladesh may need a new programme, which could come with stricter conditions.

Bangladesh received a $4.7 billion loan from the IMF in 2023 and has already received most of it. The remaining amount is still pending and depends on progress in meeting the agreed conditions.