Dhaka, Jan. 22 -- The release of the fourth tranche of Bangladesh's $4.7 billion budget support loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been deferred until March, primarily due to scheduling adjustments caused by natural disasters.

A senior official at Bangladesh Bank (BB) said that the matter was initially set for discussion in the IMF executive board meeting on February 5. But the meeting has been postponed, with the new date set for March 12, UNB reports.

The IMF's month-long closure of activities, prompted by natural disasters, is cited as the main reason behind the change in the schedule.

The global lender has emphasised several conditions tied to the loan's release. One critical demand is the liberalisation of the US ...