Bangladesh will have to fulfil certain conditions to secure loan assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said, adding that discussions on a new programme with the lender are progressing positively.

The minister made the remarks on Thursday after meeting IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke in Bangkok.

“Any loan will come with conditions, and those conditions will have to be met,” he said, adding that some issues would be resolved through further discussions and mutual understanding between the two sides.

Chowdhury said negotiations on the proposed programme were moving forward positively. However, further talks would be needed to determine the specific conditions under the programme and how Bangladesh would fulfil them.

The IMF has raised observations on several areas, including the banking sector, the tax-to-GDP ratio, bank recapitalisation and macroeconomic stability. The minister said Bangladesh shared the lender’s concerns on these issues.

He added that many of the problems had already been addressed, while discussions on the remaining matters were continuing.

Responding to a question about the IMF’s concerns over the credibility of Bangladesh’s reform efforts, Chowdhury said Bangladesh also had its own observations, but both sides were in agreement on several key issues. He reiterated that progress had already been made in addressing many of the concerns.

The finance minister also said the IMF was satisfied with Bangladesh’s recent economic progress. According to him, the lender had expressed appreciation for the country’s progress following the budget, despite global challenges, including the war in the Middle East.

Chowdhury said Bangladesh would continue working in partnership not only with the IMF but also with the World Bank and other multilateral development partners.

He added that discussions with these institutions would continue as the government seeks to strengthen the country’s economic outlook and support future growth.