The conditions for the possible new International Monetary Fund programme are likely to be based on raising the tax-GDP ratio, reducing subsidies, exchange rate flexibility and banking sector reforms.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has begun a dual-track assessment of Bangladesh, combining the fifth review of its $5.5 billion loan programme with a comprehensive annual audit of the country’s economy under Article IV obligations...In its initial meeting with Finance Secretary

Bangladesh’s macroeconomic performance has significantly improved since the country entered the IMF’s $4.7 billion loan programme in January last year, but the bleeding of foreign currency reserves continues, putting the taka under pressure, the global lender said yesterday.

Bangladesh’s economic crisis will not go away if the government does not strictly adhere to the conditions tagged with the International Monetary Fund’s 42-month loan programme, said the lender’s top official.

The International Monetary Fund is set to tag three binding conditions and a host of structural reforms for the prospective $4.5 billion loan to Bangladesh, as the Washington-based multilateral lender looks to bring in lasting reforms in the country.