Bangladesh is planning to sell a dollar-denominated bond worth $500 million to $1 billion next year, the central bank`s chief economist said Thursday.

The bond sale will likely come toward the end of 2014, after getting the blessing of the incoming administration, Hassan Zaman told The Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of a conference in Singapore.

"The new government ... will have to decide on the financing priorities, but our sense is that the infrastructure financing needs are the greatest," Dr. Zaman said, when asked how the proceeds of the bond would be used.

Bangladesh is due to go to the polls no later than January.

During a panel discussion at the Borrowers & Investors Forum, Southeast Asia, Dr. Zaman also noted that the country was actively working to develop its Islamic bond market.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

BDST: 1420 HRS, OCT 31, 2013
SMS/GCP