Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that Bangladesh’s new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be designed to safeguard public interest and national economic security. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, July 12, 2026, he emphasized that the government will not join any IMF initiative that undermines the welfare of the people.

The minister criticized the previous IMF program adopted by the former government, describing it as contrary to public interest and incompatible with a democratic administration. He stated that the current government withdrew from that program to protect the nation’s economic priorities. Chowdhury reiterated that the main goal is not merely to secure funds but to ensure the protection of Bangladesh’s economic sovereignty and citizens’ welfare.

He also announced plans to revise the country’s visa policy to make it simpler and more modern, aiming to attract more foreign tourists and investors while strengthening global confidence in Bangladesh.