International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva today (Sep 17) praised Professor Muhammad Yunus for Bangladesh's remarkable economic progress since assuming office as Chief Adviser of the interim government.

Speaking over the phone from Washington, D.C., Georgieva lauded Yunus’s leadership amid high economic risks, noting, “You’ve done so much in such a short time. You are the right person at the right time.” 

She specifically commended the stabilisation of the foreign exchange market and the recovery of foreign reserves following the government’s market-based exchange rate reforms.

Professor Yunus thanked Georgieva for the IMF’s steadfast support during one of Bangladesh’s most critical economic junctures. Recalling their first meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York last year, Yunus said it had played a pivotal role in the country’s path to recovery.

The leaders discussed ongoing economic reforms, regional developments, and upcoming challenges ahead of the general election scheduled for February 2026. Yunus reaffirmed that the elections would be held before the holy month of Ramadan and that he would return to his previous work afterward.

Georgieva emphasised the need to increase domestic revenue and implement bold banking sector reforms, calling the current moment “precious” for Bangladesh. Yunus outlined key government measures, including banking sector restructuring and initiatives to boost revenue collection, highlighting the severe state of the economy he inherited.

The discussion also covered regional developments, including the youth uprising in Nepal and Bangladesh’s ASEAN ambitions, as well as Dhaka’s major infrastructure projects, including new ports and terminals. Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed and Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mozumder were present during the call.

MN/