Bangladesh Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Monday sought easy loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for the development of the private sector in Bangladesh.

He made the call during a virtual meeting between a delegation of Bangladesh and the IFC on the sidelines of the 2021 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.

Kamal also urged the members of the World Bank Group to provide loans to Bangladesh with easy conditions in the field of onshore bonds and public-private partnership (PPP).

He praised the IFC for issuing Bangla Bond at London Stock Exchange in 2019 and sought technological assistance under PPP initiatives to attract more foreign investment to help Bangladesh become a middle-income country in 2031 and a developed one in 2041.

Minister Kamal also extended thanks to the IFC for extending support to the private sector, especially banks, various production-oriented sectors, and new entrepreneurs for providing support during the pandemic.

He also highlighted various steps taken by the government to offset the pandemic shocks and the matter of attaining positive GDP growth by Bangladesh despite the global economic slowdown.

Mohammad Shafiul Alam, alternate executive director of the World Bank Group, Abdur Rouf Talukder, senior secretary of the finance division, Fatima Yasmin, secretary of the Economic Relations Division, also attended the meeting.