Bangladesh could lose 1.1% of its GDP for coronavirus: finance minister

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today said Bangladesh could lose 1.1 percent of its GDP growth due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister said in the last fiscal year, the country had attained 8.15 percent growth, the highest in the Asia-Pacific region, and was projected to attain 8.20 percent growth in the current fiscal.

"Unfortunately, Bangladesh could lose 1.1 percent of GDP growth due to COVID-19 spread," the minister said, citing an analysis of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

AHM Mustafa Kamal was addressing a videoconference with the World Bank and IMF headquarters on the latest coronavirus situation from the NEC Conference Room in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, said a press release of the finance ministry.

He also urged the World Bank and the IMF to stand beside Bangladesh with greater support considering the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

"It's our ardent request to the World Bank Group and the IMF to come up with greater support to us considering this risky situation," he said.