The International Monetary Fund has approved a financial aid of USD 278.8 million to Bangladesh. The IMF Executive Board in its meeting yesterday also approved the country's request for a waiver for non-observance of the performance criterion on new non-concessional external debt maturing in more than one year.IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, Naoyuki Shinohara, said that Macroeconomic pressures have eased in Bangladesh, aided by stabilisation measures aimed at containing government borrowing, reducing the inflation rate, and building foreign reserves.Stating that the fiscal policy has remained broadly ontrack, he said but underperforming tax collections, relatedmainly to the trade slowdown, require upfront actions tobroaden the tax base and strengthen enforcement.