Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed satisfaction with the government’s financial reform efforts and political responsibility, while agreeing on the broad framework and sequencing of a new programme for Bangladesh.

The minister made the remarks after a meeting with IMF Mission Chief for Bangladesh and Hong Kong Ivo Krznar at the Ministry of Finance on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Chowdhury said discussions focused on the foundation, sequencing and overall policy direction of a future IMF-supported programme. He said both sides reached a consensus on the proposed framework.

“The reforms will be implemented gradually, taking into account the country’s economic realities. Major changes cannot be made overnight, and the IMF agrees with this approach,” he said.

The finance minister said the government would prioritize reforms based on the country’s economic conditions and implement them in phases. He added that the IMF had endorsed this sequencing strategy and acknowledged the responsibilities of a democratically elected government to protect public welfare while pursuing economic reforms.

According to Chowdhury, the IMF delegation also appreciated the progress made during the current government’s four-month tenure in financial sector reforms, capital market development and revenue collection.

He said the IMF described the recent improvement in tax collection as a significant achievement and held positive discussions on government proposals to further increase Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio.

On subsidies, the minister said no detailed discussions had yet taken place on specific conditions or policy measures, as the meeting primarily focused on establishing the overall framework for the new programme. Detailed negotiations will be held at a later stage.

Chowdhury said the discussions are part of an ongoing process, with the next round expected to take place during the World Bank’s Annual Meetings in September or October.

He added that the IMF’s positive assessment of the government’s reform performance would serve as the basis for finalizing a new programme in the coming months.