Bangladesh seeks $14.5 billion from IMF and World Bank — Anadolu Agency

Bangladesh has approached the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for $14.5 billion in new financing. The country’s government is asking the IMF for a $4.5 billion program and the World Bank for another $10 billion over three years. This was reported by Anadolu Agency, citing Finance Ministry adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir.

Negotiations on new programs

According to Titumir, negotiations on both proposals are already underway. If the application is approved, it will be the first new IMF lending program under the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who took office in February 2026 after the country’s first general election since the 2024 uprising that led to the overthrow of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladeshi authorities seek financing mechanisms tailored to the country’s economic needs rather than standard lending conditions. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has also stressed the need for flexible financing to address the economy’s structural weaknesses.

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Taxes, banks and energy subsidies

The country faces persistent inflation, vulnerabilities in the banking sector, rising energy subsidies and one of the world’s lowest tax-to-GDP ratios. The government has also introduced a 600 billion taka stimulus initiative — approximately $4.9 billion — to support businesses and revive economic activity.

Bangladesh intends to raise its tax-to-GDP ratio from less than 7% to 10% over five years, restore stability in the banking system and encourage private investment. The country’s previous IMF program was approved in January 2023: initially worth $4.7 billion, it later increased to about $5.5 billion.