Non-resident Bangladeshis, representatives of their supportive organisations and local businessmen on Saturday said various hurdles including mal-governance and political unrest slowed down the pace of investment by the NRBs in the country.
They were addressing a conference on recognition of NRBs and supportive organisations in Bangladesh organised by the Centre for NRBs at the Sonargaon Hotel in the city with the centre’s president MS Shekil Chowdhury in the chair.
Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed and US ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena were also present.
‘No body knows how many days it would take to get an approval for setting up a business establishment in Bangladesh,’ said Reza Khan, who got award as NBR living in Dubai.
He said political instability also held back the NRBs from investing in Bangladesh.
IT expert Shama Obaed, who had stayed abroad for a long time, questioned how the NRBs could feel interested to invest in Bangladesh if they did not get an environment conducive for business.
‘Do they get sufficient infrastructural support for investment or is the country’s communication network up to the mark?’ questioned Shama Obaed, also a leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
She alleged that the cost of doing business is continuously rising due to corruption and mal-governance.
The BB governor said Bangladesh could have achieved additional 2 per cent GDP growth had the political unrest would have arrested.
Dan W Mozena said Bangladesh could become Asia’s next economic miracle if it can unleash its potentials by addressing the challenges like political unrest, corruption and rule of law.
Former president of Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Syed Moazzem Hossain said that NBRs were the largest contributor to the economy of the country.
The contribution will become manifold if investment of the NBRs is protected, he said.
The Centre for NRBs awarded about a dozen of NRBs and their supportive organisations including banks and other financial institutions for their contributions to the development and wellbeing of NRBs.
Dubai Zoo director Reza Khan, Dubai expatriate Tarek Bin Abdul Rob and UK expatriate Manik Miah got recognition in individual category while Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd, Sonali Bank and Agrani Bank got gold, silver and bronze medal respectively for their contribution to remittance service.
AB Bank, Pubali Bank, Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd, Standard Bank, Eastern Bank, NCC Bank, Exim Bank and Trust Bank, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, United Airways, Green Delta Insurance, US embassy, UK embassy and EU embassy in Dhaka and Bangladesh Bank were awarded as support service organisations.
It also honoured two former election commissioners — Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hossain — for their role in providing the NRBs with the voting facilities.
-With New Age input
