Did not consider all of IMF's advice for FY24 budget: Kamal

Not all of the advice of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were taken into consideration while formulating the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24), Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said on Friday.

The minister made the remark at a post-budget press briefing at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital.

When asked about the IMF's influence on the proposed budget, the minister said, "We are all part of an alliance now... IMF observes everything about those who are involved with it. They don't only provide loans. They also suggest some projects."

He also said, out of all the advice that the IMF had given, not all were embraced.

The finance minister on Thursday placed the national budget in the parliament, eyeing a 7.5 per cent GDP growth rate with an expectation of keeping annual inflation at around 6.0 per cent.

/KN/