Dhaka, March 25 -- Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an extended support and to release the next instalment of the ongoing bailout package by June this year.

Bangladesh would discuss the issues with the IMF high-ups in the upcoming IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, to be held in April, for getting the extended and timely financial support from the global lender, he said.

An IMF mission led by Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, sat with Khosru on Tuesday in Dhaka.

Bangladesh expects to receive the next instalment worth $1.3 billion from the IMF as the fourth and fifth instalments together were worth $1.33 bill...