Bangladesh Bank yesterday gave a go-ahead to five private sector projects to take loans worth $152.8 million from foreign sources, the regulator said in a statement.

The loans include $100 million for Airtel Bangladesh, $30 million for Acron Infrastructure Services, $5.30 million for Confidence Salt Ltd and $15 million for Nator Agro.

The rest of the amount was approved for the readymade garment sector.

The highest interest rate of the projects is six-month LIBOR+4 percent in a year. The effective interest rate will be within 4.58 percent per annum, the central bank said.

The approval came at the 61st meeting of the scrutiny committee of the BB presided over by its governor Atiur Rahman at its office in Dhaka.

“This type of foreign financing will be helpful in keeping the foreign exchange rate stable and will impact positively on the balance of payments of the country,” according to the statement.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 8th Feb 2012