IMF assures Dhaka of continued support for reforms

"IMF would continue to articulate legitimate demands of the developing countries including Bangladesh," said IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler at a meeting with Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman here on Thursday.

They discussed IMF activities in Bangladesh and recent developments in economy, including macro-economic situation and smooth transition of Bangladesh currency to Free Exchange Rate.

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The IMF MD expressed optimism that under the supervision of the present economic team, headed by Saifur Rahman, the reforms would be implemented in time.

The finance minister expressed his thanks for IMF cooperation for successful signing of Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) agreement in Washington.

Saifur Rahman also had a separate meeting with the Deputy Managing Director of IMF Shigemitsu Sugisaki.

He invited Kohler and Sugisaki to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.

In the morning, the finance minister met the World Bank Managing Director Shengman Zhang.

Zhang told Saifur that he was impressed with Bangladesh's economic performance and the fact that a country with such a small area is being able to feed such a big population.

He pointed out that the Bangladesh authorities and the World Bank experts have convergence of views on all key issues of development and common goals for alleviating poverty.

He also accepted an invitation of the finance minister to visit Bangladesh in near future.