Govt, IMF at odds over spending on polls pledges
19 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh and the International Monetary Fund are locked in new disagreements over the country’s economic programme, with tensions centring on social spending, revenue mobilisation, exchange rate policy, and the pace of financial sector reforms.
19 April 2026, 00:00 AM
IMF, WB assure Dhaka of funds to absorb war shocks
18 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Officials in the 11-member delegation said Bangladesh pressed for additional funds to cover the shortfall caused by the energy crisis, beyond regular budget support
18 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Planning commission: Advisory panel outlines overhaul of governance
16 April 2026, 03:29 AM
A high-level advisory committee, formed by the Planning Commission to develop a sustainable development strategy, plans to recommend the government introduce a bicameral parliament, reinstate the caretaker government system, and ensure media freedom.
16 April 2026, 03:29 AM
Fuel, fertiliser imports: Govt needs $2.61b extra until June
16 April 2026, 03:09 AM
Bangladesh will need an additional $2.61 billion in foreign exchange to pay the surging energy and fertiliser import bills for March-June period.
16 April 2026, 03:09 AM
IMF holds Bangladesh’s GDP growth projection steady
16 April 2026, 00:00 AM
While the World Bank and Asian Development Bank had lowered Bangladesh’s GDP growth forecast due to the Persian Gulf crisis and domestic vulnerabilities, the International Monetary Fund has kept its earlier projection unchanged.
16 April 2026, 00:00 AM
IMF holds Bangladesh’s GDP growth projection steady
14 April 2026, 22:57 PM
WB, ADB cut GDP growth forecast amid Persian Gulf crisis
14 April 2026, 22:57 PM
Bangladesh to receive $2bn assistance from IMF, WB amid Middle East crisis
14 April 2026, 15:02 PM
Finance minister optimistic about receiving assistance by June after Washington meetings
14 April 2026, 15:02 PM
Dovish budget in the works
12 April 2026, 03:39 AM
The government is preparing a Tk 927,000 crore budget for fiscal 2026-27, up about 18 percent from this year, as it looks to implement its electoral pledges, partially roll out the Pay Commission recommendations, and shield the economy from the fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
12 April 2026, 03:39 AM
Budget spending rises 17.5% in July-March
Budgetary spending increased by 17.5 percent year-on-year in the first nine-month period of the current fiscal year of 2024-25, mainly due to a rise in spending on interest payments and subsidies.
31 May 2025, 18:00 PM
$520b economy by next fiscal year
Bangladesh’s gross domestic product is projected to surpass the $500 billion mark for the first time in the upcoming fiscal year contingent upon exchange rate stability.
29 May 2025, 18:28 PM
Rooppur, MRT-1, Matarbari to get special focus
Three mega projects will get special focus in the upcoming development budget with the view to providing cheaper electricity, easing Dhaka dwellers’ transportation problem and enhancing international trade for Bangladesh.
28 May 2025, 18:14 PM
GDP growth lowest since pandemic
Bangladesh’s GDP grew by 3.97 percent this fiscal year, the slowest in 34 years excluding the pandemic, on the back of lower growth in the agriculture and service sectors.
27 May 2025, 18:08 PM
FY26 budget: 22% of revenue to go towards interest payment
As much as Tk 122,000 crore is expected to be allocated for interest payment in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which is about 22 percent of the total revenue budget.
26 May 2025, 19:23 PM
Govt expects gross reserves to reach $34b by June next year
The interim government expects the country’s gross foreign exchange reserves to rise to $34.4 billion by the end of the fiscal year (FY) 2025–26, buoyed by strong remittance inflows, export performance, and budgetary support from development partners.
26 May 2025, 18:00 PM
FY26 Budget: Subsidy spending to hold steady
The budget for fiscal 2025-26 is likely to be smaller than the current year’s outlay, but subsidy spending is expected to remain almost unchanged at Tk 1,15,741 crore.
25 May 2025, 18:41 PM
National budget FY25-26: Govt to recast social safety net schemes
The interim government is likely to introduce a transparent system for social safety net schemes in the upcoming budget, increasing the number of beneficiaries by around 10 lakh while slashing one-third of the existing programmes.
23 May 2025, 18:50 PM
Govt plans 31% hike in food subsidy in FY26 budget
The government plans to raise the food subsidy allocation by 31 percent to Tk 9,500 crore in the upcoming fiscal year, aiming to ensure access to affordable food for poor and low-income households.
22 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt targets lowest budget deficit in 14 years
The interim government plans to reduce the national budget deficit to 3.6 percent of gross domestic product in the upcoming fiscal year -- the lowest in 14 years -- as it seeks to rebuild fiscal credibility, limit borrowing, and ease pressure from rising debt servicing costs.
20 May 2025, 18:06 PM
Star Interview: Betting on a leaner budget
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed speaks to The Daily Star
19 May 2025, 18:10 PM
10 segments to get 52% of ADP
For the first time, the planning ministry has used a digital budget planning system to categorise spending based on economic codes
18 May 2025, 18:14 PM
10 ministries brace for budget cuts
The railway ministry, the power division, and the primary and mass education ministry will see the biggest chop.
17 May 2025, 18:20 PM
Interest payments, subsidies soak up almost half of budget
Interest payments and subsidies have absorbed nearly half of Bangladesh’s total budget expenditure in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, underscoring growing fiscal stress and raising concerns over public finances.
15 May 2025, 18:00 PM
IMF loan tranches: Agreement with IMF at last
The government has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund for the fourth and fifth tranche of the $4.7 billion loan programme, putting to bed months of uncertainty over their disbursement.
14 May 2025, 18:10 PM
Govt’s bank borrowing target may shrink in next budget
The government is planning to significantly reduce its bank borrowing target in the upcoming fiscal year as it aims to narrow the budget deficit by scaling down the overall budget size.
13 May 2025, 18:00 PM
IMF loan: Deadlock broken
The government is set to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund over the exchange rate issue that has been holding up the release of the fourth and fifth tranches of the $4.7 billion loan programme soon.
10 May 2025, 18:27 PM
Budget to shrink amid fiscal strain
Bangladesh’s interim government is preparing to unveil a rare contractionary budget on June 2, driven by a sharp rise in interest payment that is crowding out fiscal space and forcing spending cuts.
10 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Shift focus to services from infrastructure spending
Bangladesh’s approach to budgeting for health and education has come under sharp scrutiny, as decades of allocations have primarily gone towards construction. Meanwhile, the core of these sectors, service delivery, has been historically neglected.
10 May 2025, 18:00 PM
A unique chance to reset fiscal priorities
Bangladesh’s upcoming national budget, set to be unveiled by the interim government in June, could mark a rare departure from past fiscal cycles.
10 May 2025, 18:00 PM