The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed on Monday said the business community would request leaders of the two main political parties to start a dialogue to end the prevailing political impasse.
“We will take the initiative to make the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader sit together to restore political stability in the country. It is not impossible at all in Bangladesh,” said Ahmed, after paying tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman at his grave in Tungipara at Gopalganj.
The impasse follows the Fifteenth Amendment that scrapped the caretaker system to oversee national elections in Bangladesh. The Awami League led coalition pushed through the amendment with its huge parliamentary majority after a Supreme Court order but the BNP led 18 party Opposition alliance boycotted the voting and now says will not allow the elections unless the caretaker system is restored.
The BNP has taken to the streets with a series of strikes and road blockades in the last two months.
“We request the political parties to not enforce shutdown. Shutdown has negative impact on our businesses and affects the economy as a whole. It discourages local and foreign investors,” Ahmed added.
“We are being praised for emerging as one potential big growth economy, but the strikes and disruptions will pull us down. They will jeopardise economic development.”
A member of the ruling Awami League’s Advisory council, Ahmed urged the government to desist from increasing the price of oil, gas and power for the sake of industrialisation.
He suggested the opposition to go to parliament to discuss political differences instead of enforcing shutdown. (bdnews24.com)
