Bangladesh and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed to begin work on a new three-year reform programme designed to ensure economic measures are realistic, phased and suited to the country’s current conditions.
The understanding was reached during a virtual meeting on 21 May between Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke, according to a government press release issued on Monday.
The discussions focused on Bangladesh’s macroeconomic situation, progress under the existing IMF-supported programme and the framework for future cooperation between the two sides.
During the meeting, the finance minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and continuing structural reforms. However, he said the current IMF programme had been adopted under a different set of domestic and global circumstances.
He noted that changing political and economic conditions, along with international uncertainties, had made the implementation of several reform measures more difficult.
Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government remained committed to reform but favoured a realistic and sequenced approach that reflected Bangladesh’s present economic and institutional realities.
He proposed a new three-year programme under the newly elected government that would focus on practical reforms through gradual implementation.
Nigel Clarke welcomed the government’s reform agenda and expressed optimism over continued engagement between Bangladesh and the IMF.
Both sides agreed on the need for a feasible and implementable programme and decided to move ahead quickly with preparations for the new arrangement.
The finance minister also referred to discussions held during the World Bank Group-IMF Spring Meetings 2026 in Washington, saying the government had carried out internal reviews following those engagements.
The meeting concluded with both parties expressing commitment to ensuring the success of the proposed reform programme through practical and timely implementation.
