Staff Correspondent
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday suggested a number of tasks for the new government to boost up business confidence and growth of the small and medium enterprise sector.
In their first press meet, DCCI office-bearers and the board, which had been sworn in a month back, lauded the government’s long-term vision for development which however they said would require public-private partnership.
‘Following Vision 2021 of the present government, the DCCI will take part in the mission for increasing investments, expansions of trade and industry, especially the growth of the SME sector,’ said Zafar Osama, president of the DCCI which loves to name itself a SME-focussed chamber.
In line with the public-private partnership, the government should further institutionalise the recently formed business promotion forums like the Bangladesh Better Business Forum and Regulatory Reforms Commission, he demanded.
‘The government should keep the administration and law-enforcing agencies supportively proactive [in business issues] and ensure that no hassle or no speed money is there anywhere,’ said Zafar.
He suggested the government should develop diverse sources of energy, keep the ports and transport infrastructure efficiently functional, and arrange low-cost credit for small businesses.
The DCCI president announced that in their next one-year term the DCCI executives would carry out a number of projects to facilitate businesses.
The projects will include helping small exporters develop their capacity, especially in compliance, in standardisation and in meeting corporate social responsibility requirements.
Answering journalists, Niaz Rahim, a director of the chamber, said after the new government came to office, sharp declines in the prices of some commodities have taken place due to a psychological behaviour of the market.
‘With the sudden and sharp fall in prices, the businessmen who had stocks have released that hurriedly and the prices declined further,’ said Niaz, also the managing director of Agora Superstore, referring to the rice price fall after the government took over charges.
Replaying to a question in this line, the DCCI president categorically supported commerce minister Faruk Khan in saying on Sunday that the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh should not do business any more, as the government relies on the businessmen for that purpose.
‘The duty of the government should only be monitoring the market not doing business,’ he said.
The DCCI president said considering difficulty in communication government should not continue Sunday as holiday weekly holiday should be one day.
For easing traffic jam in Dhaka he proposed schedules working hours in all educational institutes and offices should be distant by at least two hours
DCCI vice-president Shekil Chowdhury and its director Omar Faruque also spoke at the press meet.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
