The Dhaka-based New Nation newspaper reports in January that the IMF has over stepped its bounds in trying to convince the government to reform its tax policy. Despite the IMF having no programme with Bangladesh after being rebuffed in September (see Update 58, 57), it apparently wrote its own draft of the country’s tax ordinance for 2008. The newspaper reports: “The ‘fully prepared’ draft ordinance made the National Board of Revenue high officials annoyed as it was sent without asking for it.” A senior civil servant said “this is humiliating”. This comes as the IMF board reaffirmed the need for “ownership” of economic programmes (see above).

this is humiliating