The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pleased with Bangladesh’s continuous reform efforts, according to Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday. However, the IMF has called for speedier policy implementation to confront new economic difficulties.

Dr. Ahmed told reporters that the IMF recognized the nation’s overall development following meetings of the Government Procurement Committee and the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Secretariat. “The IMF underlined the issues, but they also stated our overall performance is good,” he remarked.

The government aims to bring inflation down to 7.0 per cent by June, but the IMF wants a faster decline. Dr Ahmed cautioned against abrupt policy rate hikes, emphasising the need to maintain supply-side stability.

The IMF also assessed developments in the banking sector, particularly the recent nationalisation of five troubled private banks. “You have taken over five banks. That’s a big challenge,” Dr Ahmed quoted IMF officials as saying.

On revenue reforms, he said the IMF expressed satisfaction with progress at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and did not propose any new conditions. “Basically, it was like an Article IV consultation. They are happy with what we have achieved overall,” he added.

Addressing procurement plans, Dr Ahmed said the earlier proposal to buy around 40,000 body cameras for police ahead of national elections would be scaled down. “The final number of cameras will be reduced, but it has not been fixed yet… We want transparency in the process,” he said. The cameras will be deployed mainly in sensitive areas.

He also stated that the advisory committee agreed in principle to procure weapons for Ansar and VDP personnel to strengthen their operational capacity.

When asked whether shareholders of the five nationalised banks would receive returns on their investments, Dr Ahmed declined to comment. “Ask the central bank,” he told reporters.