Dhaka – The government has planned to float a strong platform soon along with top business leaders in an effort to help businesses overcome the challenges for maintaining an ‘impressive’ track record on economic growth and development.Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed is moving ahead with the idea to ensure a better coordination between the government and country’s business community so that the problems are addressed and possibilities can be explored together.
“Yes, the Commerce Minister is planning to go ahead with the idea,” a senior official at the Commerce Ministry told UNB on Monday.
Asked about the name of the platform, he said the name of the platform is yet to be finalised. “It can be named as Business Council,” he added.
Responding to a question, the official said the Commerce Minister will share his idea with the top business leaders tomorrow (Tuesday) and will listen to the problems now facing by the country’s business community.
Former and present leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) are likely to attend the meeting to be held in a city hotel.
Meanwhile, the business leaders hailed the idea of the new Commerce Minister, and hoped that the country’s business community would be benefited if such a platform is formed.
Talking to UNB, BGMEA President M Atiqul Islam, who was invited to attend the meeting, said he will share the problems and prospects of the RMG sector and also listen to the Minister about his plan.
“He (Tofail) is a very dynamic minister. I had the opportunity to work with a number of Commerce Ministers and I found him (Tofail) and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury the most dynamic,” BKMEA first vice president Mohammad Hatem told UNB.
Hatem said they welcome the move of the new Commerce Minister. “Probably, he (Tofail) wants to listen to us and resolve our problems. I’ll be attending tomorrow’s meeting.”
FBCCI vice president M Helal Uddin he will also attend the meeting. “Let me listen to the minister first. Then, I’ll let you know what’s going to be formed.”
Former DCCI President M Sabur Khan said he is aware of the move and a DCCI representative will be there in the meeting.
Since the new minister is an experienced one, probably he is planning to do something replicating Better Business Forum, he added.
Bangladesh has maintained a remarkable growth and development and in the past decade, the economy has grown at nearly 6 percent per year, and human development went hand-in-hand with economic growth.
However, the country’s economy suffered a setback due to political instability in the last one year.
Meanwhile, the World Bank (WB) in its latest forecast on Bangladesh’s economic growth mentioned that the GDP growth rate will slow down to 5.7 percent against 7.2 percent target in the current fiscal (2013-14) due to political turmoil the country faced in the past few months. – UNB
