This file photo dated Nov 12, 2021, shows Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina giving a speech during the 75th anniversary celebrations of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. (JULIEN DE ROSA / POOL / AFP)
NEW DELHI – Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her country will not face a situation like the economic crisis in Sri Lanka although her government has sought loans from global agencies amid a fall in its reserves and surging import costs.
In an interview with Reuters partner ANI, aired ahead of her four-day state visit to India, Hasina said that Bangladesh's economy remained strong despite the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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Bangladesh has always timely (in paying) our debt; our debt rate is very low in the context of Sri Lanka…Some people have raised this issue that Bangladesh will be Sri Lanka, but I can ensure that that will not happen
Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh Prime Minister
Bangladesh's economy has been one of the fastest-growing in the world for years but dwindling foreign exchange reserves due to inflated import bills have prompted the government to seek loans from global agencies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"Bangladesh has always timely (in paying) our debt; our debt rate is very low in the context of Sri Lanka," Hasina said. "Some people have raised this issue that Bangladesh will be Sri Lanka, but I can ensure that that will not happen."
Sri Lanka reached a preliminary agreement with the IMF on Thursday for a loan of about $2.9 billion, after the country plunged into a crisis due to economic mismanagement and the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out its key tourism industry.
READ MORE: IMF provisionally agrees on US$2.9b loan for Sri Lanka
During her four-day visit to India, Hasina will meet her Indian counterpart and other leaders.
Hasina arrives in India
The Bangladesh PM arrived in New Delhi for a state visit on Monday, her first to India after nearly three years.
During the visit, Hasina will call on Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, besides holding bilateral consultations with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
She will also meet with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Ahead of Hasina's visit to India, the Bangladeshi Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that Bangladesh and India have sustained a high level of engagement in recent years.
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"The forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will further strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two countries based on strong historical and cultural ties and mutual trust and understanding," it said.