Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday criticised the central bank for seeking more control over the state “They [the central bank] seem to be bigger than the government,” Muhith told reporters after a meeting a visiting International Monetary Fund mission at his “They have told the IMF that they do not enjoy adequate autonomy.

It's a total lie, total The IMF team started the fourth review of its Extended Credit Facility loan on March 19 for releasing the instalment of the The mission held meetings with officials of different ministries in the last several days and sat with thefinance minister yesterday to discuss the outcome of the review and the next course of action.

Muhith said the IMF is not concerned about Bangladesh Bank's control over the state banks.The central bank wanted to prepare an action plan for gaining more freedom and has proposed inclusion ofthe plan in the ECF programme, the minister “I have cut it [the action plan] out.

The government will decide on it. I will talk with Bangladesh Bank the matter,” Muhith The visiting IMF mission has raised questions whether the BB was exercising its power properly in the state owned banks, said officials of the central bank and the finance Recently the central bank's autonomy was boosted by amending the Banking Companies The IMF told the finance minister at yesterday's meeting that the central bank cannot exercise its power fully in controlling the state banks,

a finance ministry official However, Muhith said the central bank is free to take any action for irregularities in the state He also said there is no bar in receiving the next instalment of the ECF The IMF expressed concern over the ministries' demand for more money in the revised annual programme as project implementation remains The IMF team called upon the government to remain alert so that borrowing from banks does not increase meeting the demand for additional The lender is also worried over the tax waiver given to export-oriented industries following the recent unrest. It also wanted to know about the measures the government will take to earn additional revenue.