DHAKA, June 15, 2023 (BSS) - Planning Minister MA Mannan today said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not monitoring, influencing or formulating country's budget rather like other organisations; it just gives loans to the country.

"If anyone thinks that we are trapped by the IMF and they are formulating or monitoring the budget, it will be incorrect. IMF is not an exception; rather it is an organisation like the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Kuwait Development Fund that are providing loans to the countries", said MA Mannan.

 The minister was addressing a seminar titled 'Budget 2023-24: Education and Employment' at Dhaka University's Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury auditorium here today.

"IMF is supposed to give us loan as Bangladesh is a country member of the organisation", said Mannan, adding, "IMF is not our boss. We are in the IMF's honor Board. They give instructions and recommendations for the country which need to be approved by us and there is no other condition."

Everyone should keep the facts in mind and remove such thinking that 'IMF formulating country's budget' out of mind which is humiliating for the country, he added.

Talking about education, the minister said, "More investment is needed for the education sector as investment in the sector is always useful and it will never be wasted". The government has been working to increase invest in this sector, he added.

Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Prof. Dr. M Abu Yusuf presented the keynote speech in the seminar while former advisor of caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury and DU social Science dean Dr Zia Rahman as special guests.

The main article in the seminar was presented by the Director of Center and Budget Policy Researchers Center M Abu Yusuf.
 
DU Development Studies Department Chairman Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud, a2i project director (Additional Secretary) Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir and DU Mass Communication and Journalism Department teacher Shabnam Azim also addressed, among others.