Will We Run After the IMF for Loans, the Finance Minister Asks

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that it will not do to run the country as before. As a reason, he said the financing structure has changed. He asked, 'Will we run after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to get loans at 1 to 2 percent interest? Or will I form a fund tomorrow morning and enter my own country's market? If I get good returns on investment, why should I wait for who will give me money, when, and under what conditions? What is my need?'

The finance minister made these remarks today, Thursday, as the chief guest at a roundtable discussion titled 'Budget in Times of Crisis and Public Expectations' organized by Prothom Alo. The roundtable discussion was held at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman delivered the welcome speech.

The event, moderated by Prothom Alo Head of Online Shawkat Hossain, also featured speeches from Hossain Zillur Rahman, Chairperson of the private organization PPRC; Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Selim Jahan, Professorial Fellow of the Brac Institute of Governance and Development; Simeen Rahman, CEO of Transcom Group; Mahbub ur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HSBC Bangladesh; Masrur Riaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange; Mohammad Mostafa Haider, Director of TK Group; Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA; Golam Mawla, General Secretary of the Moulvibazar Business Association in the capital; and Imran Hasan, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association.