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Bangladesh is set to sign a new country partnership framework agreement with the World Bank, with a government delegation scheduled to hold talks with the lender within the next two to three weeks to finalise its terms.
“Although there are no major disagreements over the fundamental policy issues, the two sides will determine the final details through discussions under a joint action plan,” Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Friday.
He made the remarks while briefing journalists on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Bangkok.
Earlier in the day, the finance minister held meetings with representatives of Bank of America, Google, the IMF, Standard Chartered Bank and Moody’s at the Sirikit International Convention Centre.
The discussions covered Bangladesh’s overall economic situation, debt-related issues, financial sector reforms and other matters.
Khosru said the current year was particularly important for Bangladesh, a development that international organisations had also recognised.
Considering the country’s circumstances, the World Bank, the IMF and other development partners, including the Asian Development Bank, were working closely with Bangladesh to support its economic development and help it address global challenges, he said.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to implementing its election manifesto and development programmes, the minister said a specific development framework was being prepared for the next five years.
Asked about remarks made by the World Bank president and the IMF managing director at a plenary session earlier in the day, Khosru said cooperation and partnership were the greatest strengths of low-income countries amid the ongoing global crisis.
He expressed hope that the heads of the two institutions would continue to extend support and strengthen cooperation with Bangladesh to meet public expectations and ensure sustainable development.
