Bangladesh May Receive Additional IMF, World Bank Support Amid Middle East Crisis

Bangladesh has received assurances of additional financial support from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to help address economic pressures caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury confirmed the development after holding meetings with senior officials from both organizations on the sidelines of their Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.. He is currently leading an 11-member delegation.

According to a source within the delegation, Bangladesh could receive nearly $2 billion in emergency assistance by June.

On Tuesday, the finance minister held separate meetings with IMF Executive Director Urjit Patel and World Bank Vice President for South Asia John Jut, among other senior officials.

Following the meetings, the finance minister said the country’s economy is facing multiple pressures. “The entire economy is operating under a deficit, compounded by the Middle East conflict and the added burden of VAT. These issues were discussed, and the World Bank will work closely with us to address them,” he said.

He described the overall discussions as successful and expressed confidence that the government would be able to manage the economic shortfall. He also noted that the current state of Bangladesh’s economy is well understood by international partners, adding that the World Bank has shown a very positive attitude toward cooperation.

Speaking to reporters afterward, the minister hinted at the possibility of additional support under Bangladesh’s ongoing loan program with the IMF. “Disbursement of the scheduled installments will continue, but there may be even more favorable developments under the current program,” he said.

He expressed hope that Bangladesh would secure additional funding by June and in the upcoming national budget. “Overall, the discussions were very successful. I believe we will be able to effectively tackle the deficit we are facing,” he added.

Notably, the IMF has already announced a $50 billion emergency support fund for developing and low-income countries, while the World Bank has pledged $25 billion. Bangladesh is currently under a $5.5 billion loan program with the IMF.