Bangladesh seeking IMF loan but economy not in trouble - finance minister

Garment workers come out of a factory during the lunch break as factories remain open despite a countrywide lockdown, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 6, 2021. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

DHAKA, July 27 (Reuters) – Bangladesh has asked to start talks on a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but will take it only if conditions are favourable, the finance minister said on Wednesday, adding its macroeconomic conditions were fine.

The country’s $416 billion economy has been one of the fastest-growing in the world for years, but rising energy and food prices because of the Russia-Ukraine war have inflated its import bill and the current account deficit.

“A letter was sent to the IMF seeking assistance, but we have not mentioned how much we want,” Minister A.H.M. Mustafa Kamal told reporters.

“We are waiting to…