IMF tells AL of political consensus for better economy

The AL however observed that growth and poverty reduction cannot take place in the present state of lawlessness and instability under the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition government. There has been a general lack of confidence in the government's ability to govern, the AL delegates said.

The IMF team emphasised making parliament functional to discuss all the issues.

Former finance minister SAMS Kibria led the AL team at the invitation of IMF mission chief Chanpen Puckahitkom to get to know the opposition's views on different economic issues and the IMF role.

At the meeting at a city hotel, the IMF delegates asked for the AL opinion about its recent credit of $490 million in loan for Bangladesh.

The AL regretted that neither the government nor the IMF consulted the main opposition party before the loan agreement was reached. Even it was not debated in parlia-ment. And so, the party is not aware of the understandings reached between the government and the IMF on the loan.

It also observed that the government not only failed to take the opposition into confidence in discussing the conditions tagged with the loan, it also kept a vast majority of people in the dark about the whole affair.

The AL leaders also told the IMF that they came to know about the conditions for the loans from newspaper reports, which makes its commenting on the issue all the more difficult. But, it welcomed the loan, saying achievement of the poverty reduction programme depends on successful preparation of sectoral plans and efficient implementation.

If the record of the coalition government is anything to go by, then one cannot be optimistic that resources will be utilised for poverty reduction since gross corruption takes place in the government, the opposition observed.

The opposition delegates said prices of essentials are on the rise, foreign and domestic investment has declined and many industries have been shut down without taking into account the impact on the economy or employment situation.

The AL delegates alleged repression on political opponents by the ruling coalition, leading to violence in the country. They said due to direct governmental intervention the judicial system has been destroyed.

AMA Muhit, Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Kazi Zafarullah MP, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Abul Hossain MP, Faruk Khan MP and Dr Abdur Razzak MP were present at the meeting.