Work under way on framework agreement with World Bank, support sought to cope with higher energy costs
Photo: Collected
Bangladesh has sought support from the World Bank to cope with the pressure on the energy sector and the burden of additional costs stemming from global volatility. Discussions with the lender on the matter are progressing, and the two sides are moving ahead with work on a framework agreement.
Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury spoke to journalists on Monday at the start of his participation in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Thailand. He said Bangladesh is having to bear additional costs in the energy sector in the current situation, and some form of financial protection is needed to cope with this pressure. He also said the World Bank has shown a positive attitude towards cooperating in this regard.
Expressing hope that the World Bank will stand by Bangladesh in the days ahead as well, Amir Khasru said cooperation between the two sides is not confined to existing funds. Cooperation is also needed to cope with the shocks of global volatility and the ongoing crisis in the energy sector. These issues have been discussed with the World Bank.
The finance minister said procedural work is under way alongside discussions with the World Bank on the framework agreement. Talks are also being held on how cooperation under the two sides’ partnership can be made more fruitful.
The finance minister further noted that how far the ongoing initiatives with the World Bank are consistent with the goals and objectives set out in the government’s declared election manifesto is an important issue. In this regard, there is an expectation of moving forward on the basis of mutual coordination.
