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Viewing cable 06DHAKA2741, BANGLADESH: IMF CONDUCTS FIFTH REVIEW OF PRGF

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DHAKA2741 2006-05-15 08:33 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Dhaka
VZCZCXRO1844
RR RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #2741/01 1350833
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 150833Z MAY 06 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7770
INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7434
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1119
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8530
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1452
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 1439
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9097
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 002741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY(CLASSIFIER INFORMATION) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EB/IFD/OIA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2016 
TAGS: EFIN EAID IMF BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: IMF CONDUCTS FIFTH REVIEW OF PRGF 
 
REF: A. DHAKA 2640 
     B. DHAKA 1143 
 
DHAKA 00002741  001.3 OF 003 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY ECON CHIEF DAVID RENZ REASON 1.4(d) 
 
1.    (C) Summary:  An IMF mission conducted the fifth review 
of Bangladesh's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) 
from April 30 - May 10.  Although identifying several actions 
the BDG must take, the IMF mission was generally satisfied 
with progress to date.  Key issues are reducing fuel price 
subsidies and increasing revenues.  Executive Board 
consideration of the fifth review could take place in July 
2006 and, if approved, would permit release of an additional 
$90 million in PRGF funding. If consideration is delayed to 
the September meeting, it is unlikely a sixth review would 
take place before the PRGF expires at the end of 2006. IMF 
will wait to negotiate a new PRGF until a new government is 
formed following elections expected in January 2007.  End 
summary. 
 
2.    (U) On May 14, IMF resident representative Jonathan 
Dunn briefed members of the diplomatic community regarding 
the IMF fifth review of its PRGF with Bangladesh.  He began 
with a summary of the points contained in a May 10 IMF press 
release 
(http://www.imf.ogr/external/np/sec/pr/2006/p r0693.htm): 
 
-- The economy continues to grow despite stiff competition in 
the global garment industry.  IMF projections of 6.5% real 
GDP growth for FY 2006 (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006) are 
consistent with recent ADB projections.  Inflation is 
contained and the international reserve position is stable. 
 
-- The BDG continues to pursue prudent fiscal, monetary and 
exchange rate policies.  Lower expenditures, particularly for 
the Annual Development Program (ADP) have offset lower 
revenues, limiting domestic financing needs to 2% of GDP. 
The financial condition of several large state owned 
enterprises (SOEs), however, has markedly deteriorated.  The 
mission welcomed the momentum behind reforms of the 
Nationalized Commercial Banks (NCBs). 
 
-- Bangladesh Bank (the central bank) has gradually tightened 
monetary policies to reduce inflationary pressures.  The 
floating exchange rate system is functioning well and 
depreciation of the real effective exchange rate has improved 
export competitiveness. 
 
-- Several challenges threaten continued economic progress. 
Power shortages threaten near-term economic growth.  Current 
energy pricing policies and deterioration of the financial 
position of SOEs pose risks to the government's fiscal 
position and the banking system.  Further improvements in 
revenue collection and project implementation are needed to 
sustain fiscal stability and enhance poverty reduction. 
 
-- Bangladesh cannot sustain the financial losses and 
economic costs stemming from under-pricing of energy products 
-- fuel, electricity and natural gas.  Reforms aimed at 
eliminating general subsidies while targeting support to the 
most vulnerable should be implemented. 
 
Macro Economy Performing Well 
----------------------------- 
 
3.    (U) Dunn reviewed several key economic indicators. 
Real GDP growth is now estimated at 6.5%, up from 5.6% for 
FY06.  Inflation is moderate at 6.25% (year-on-year) in March 
2006, down from a near 8% peak.  Overall revenues and 
expenditures as a percent of GDP are nearly unchanged from 
FY06. Revenues are 0.4% less and expenditures are 1% less 
than initial forecasts.  As a result, net financing 
requirements are also constant, at 3.4% of GDP.  Export 
growth has outpaced the growth of imports while remittances 
remain strong.  As a result, the balance of payments deficit 
is a mere 0.2% of GDP.  Official reserves are essentially 
unchanged from FY06 at 2.4 months of imports of goods and 
nonfactor services. 
 
4.    (U) The key factors contributing to higher GDP growth, 
according to Dunn, are better than expected agricultural 
production, which rebounded from damage caused by the 
previous year's floods, strong performance of the ready-made 
 
DHAKA 00002741  002.4 OF 003 
 
 
garment sector following the end of the Multi-Fiber 
Arrangement, and broad-based growth in manufacturing and 
services. 
 
5.    (U) Revenue growth as a share of GDP is flat.  Income 
and domestic VAT tax collections are up 20% in real terms, 
according to Dunn.  These gains were offset by lower revenues 
from customs and supplementary duties and VAT on imports, 
which Dunn attributed to lower import levels and corruption. 
 
6.    (C) Dunn noted several positive developments at the 
National Board of Revenue.  He described a "change of 
mindset" at the NBR, which he attributed to the leadership of 
the current chairman.  As a result, NBR recognizes it needs 
to reorganize along functional lines (e.g., auditing, 
collections, enforcement) instead of its current organization 
by type of revenue collected. He also pointed to growing 
cooperation among the large taxpayer units (LTUs) in current 
tax units, which focus compliance investigations on 
apparently wealthy individuals and businesses known to pay 
little or no taxes.  Dunn cautioned that the current chairman 
will leave in August.  If the reforms continue, Dunn expects 
them to have a real impact within two to three years. 
 
7.    (U) Expenditures are also flat as a share of GDP, 
although they had been projected to increase over FY05 
levels.  Dunn attributed this principally to ADP expenditure 
shortfalls.  This has also resulted in a reduced flow of 
foreign assistance to fund ADP projects, which the government 
has been slow to implement.  Procurement issues, especially 
in the power sector, have slowed implementation significantly. 
 
8.    (U) Remittances continue to grow and are projected at 
$4.8 billion for FY06.  Dunn said it was unclear how much of 
the increase reflects real growth and how much a shift from 
the informal to the formal sector.  Some bankers, he said, 
believe the effect of "formalizing" remittances is 
diminishing.  He also noted that banks have become much more 
competitive with the informal sector, offering guaranteed 
two-day delivery and better exchange rate spreads. 
 
Disturbing Trends 
----------------- 
 
9.    (C) Dunn noted several disturbing underlying trends. 
Credit growth remains strong, at 20% for the 12-month period 
ending in March.  This is driving up deposit interest rates 
as banks look to raise funds to meet credit demands.  Dunn 
also said the deposit rate spread among banks, currently 
7%-13%, is also increasing, raising concerns that some banks 
may be engaging in risky lending practices, while using above 
average rates to compete for funds.  He noted that the 
central bank is gradually tightening the money supply, but 
said he does not expect any major changes in monetary policy 
during the current government's remaining six months.  He was 
neutral on the quality of central bank supervision of the 
banking sector and its ability to manage problems that may 
arise at any commercial banks. 
 
10.   (C) Dunn cited power sector problems (Ref B) as a major 
risk to growth over the next few years.  While he discounted 
RMG sector claims that unstable power was causing a 30%-50% 
productivity loss, he conceded the sector was facing 
significant indirect costs for fuel for standby power 
generation and airfreight costs (versus sea freight) to meet 
delivery deadlines. 
 
The Real Problem is Off the Books 
--------------------------------- 
 
11.   (C) Dunn stressed that the real problem in the economy 
is the under-pricing of energy products, which is essentially 
financed off the books through the national commercial banks 
and the main SOEs, especially the Bangladesh Petroleum 
Corporation.  Although the major problem at the moment is 
fuel subsidies (diesel, gasoline and kerosene) (Ref A), 
under-pricing of electricity and natural gas contributed to 
under-investment in the power and energy sectors, Dunn said. 
 
12.   (U) Already facing popular discontent over rising 
prices for basic food items and frequent power outages, the 
 
DHAKA 00002741  003.3 OF 003 
 
 
BDG has been reluctant to use existing pricing mechanisms to 
adjust the domestic price of fuels in response to rising 
international oil prices.  As a result, fuel prices in 
neighboring India are 80% higher than in Bangladesh.  This in 
turn has created significant incentives for smuggling, 
contributing to fuel shortages in boarder regions and 
inflating Bangladesh's import requirements. 
 
13.   (C) The BDG initially relied on the NCBs to finance its 
imports through loans to the state-owned BPC.  Most of these 
loans were funded through Sonali bank, although BPC also took 
loans from Agrani and Janata.  Sonali is now bankrupt and 
illiquid due to lending to the BPC.  The BDG will have to 
recapitalize it with a combination of debt and equity and 
write off the loans to BPC. The BPC is no longer borrowing 
from Agrani and Janata, and existing loans will likely have 
to be reclassified as non-performing and probably written 
off.  The BPC borrowing is also crowding out private 
investment, Dunn said. 
 
14.   (C) The BDG has exhausted its internal sources of 
financing.  It has also been late on a few payments to 
Middle-Eastern lenders.  It has nearly finalized a $250 
million commercial loan with Standard Chartered at LIBOR  2, 
with payments deferred for nine months from the first 
transaction.  This loan would see the BDG comfortably through 
the elections, leaving the problem for the next government. 
 
Key Conditions for Fifth Review 
------------------------------- 
 
15.   (U) Dunn said there are two key conditions the 
government must meet before the fifth review can be put to 
the Executive Board.  First, the fuel subsidy issue must be 
addressed.  Second, the government must put forth meaningful 
measures for increasing revenues in the next budget cycle. 
 
16.   (C) The IMF wants to see substantial increases in fuel 
prices to reduce government subsidies.  An 80% increase is 
needed to bring prices in line with India, although Dunn said 
increases of 40%-50% would probably satisfy the IMF for now. 
IMF estimates 60% of the current fuel subsidies benefit the 
top two quintiles, making the current subsidy highly 
inefficient.  Instead, IMF would like to see the government 
use existing poverty support programs to target direct 
subsidies to the lower income populations most in need of 
assistance, mainly rural farmers.  No doubt reflecting IMF 
advice, Finance Minister Saifur Rahman recently told 
reporters the cabinet has agreed to raise fuel prices as soon 
as a support program for the poor can be put in place. 
 
17.   (C) Dunn said the IMF mission met with the Awami League 
(AL) during their visit.  They do not expect the AL to make a 
political issue out of any government fuel price increase. 
They realize, Dunn said, that they will also have to deal 
with the issue, if elected. 
 
18.   (C) On revenues, Dunn said the IMF is looking for a 
0.5% of GDP increase in revenue projections.  Of this, 
perhaps 0.2% could come from efficiencies and improved 
collections; however, the remaining 0.3% will require policy 
changes.  The IMF is waiting for government proposals, which 
should be factored into the FY07 budget proposal scheduled to 
be presented June 9. 
CHAMMAS