The government faces escalating pressure to repay foreign loans amid a 48.82% surge in foreign loan servicing during the first half of FY24. Interest and principal repayments totaled $1.56 billion, up from $1.05 billion in the previous fiscal period. Interest payments alone rose by 133% to $641.66 million. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) increase, driven by the Ukraine-Russia war, compounds the situation.
Approximately 75% of Bangladesh’s loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and all loans from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are market-based. Loan commitments surged by 296.65% to $6.98 billion, with concerns raised about slow project implementation despite increased commitments. A high-level committee proposal aims to accelerate foreign-funded project implementation. Business professionals must monitor the strategic response to navigate this challenging scenario.