Urging the leading political parties to incorporate an economic agenda in their manifestos for the upcoming general elections, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president, Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, on Saturday, requested them to mention their proposals for the business community. He said the political parties should place priority on the economic agenda, over political agenda, in their election manifestos. “You should mention in the election manifesto what you would do for the business community,” he urged the parties. “Give the business community a chance, and see where they take the country’s economy,” the chief of the country’s apex trade body said, while speaking at a discussion in the city.
The International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) organised the discussion on ‘Upcoming National Elections and Economic Manifestos of the Political Parties’, at BRAC Centre Inn in the city.
Owing to the volatile political situation, the business community is enveloped in fear and uncertainty, the FBCCI president said. He claimed that Bangladesh is now in a better position, from the global economic perspective.
Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed also emphasised the need to continue development in the country, despite the political changeover at the helm of the government. The country, as well as the business community, would suffer, if development efforts do not continue, he pointed out.
The FBCCI chief said the high interest rates for bank loans were another problem that the business community is facing nowadays. This has caused a negative growth in the credit flow, he pointed out, adding that the surplus money in the bank vaults should be utilised, by increasing the flow of credit.
Former IBFB president, Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, moderated the discussion. Former commerce minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Awami League presidium member Nuhul Alam Lenin, Fakir Ashraf of Jatiya Party, and IBFB president Hafizur Rahman Khan, took part in the discussion. Abul Kashem Mazumder of Jahangirnagar University presented a keynote paper on the topic.
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the BNP was yet to finalise its election manifesto. It is still being prepared, he added. Political parties mention everything in the manifesto before the elections, but all that disappear immediately after the polls, he observed.
He described the private sector as the driver of economic growth in the country. He said the major issue now is private investment, since it would create employment in the country.
The former commerce minister also underscored the need for reducing the cost of doing business, to ensure the development of trade and commerce in the country.
Emphasising on the need for strengthening local government, Chowdhury said 80 per cent of the problems related to good governance would be resolved if local governance is properly strengthened.
Nuhul Alam Lenin said there was no disagreement regarding the inclusion of economic agenda in election manifestos. Describing various developmental activities that have taken place in the country since the current Awami League-led government came to power, he said Bangladesh has already achieved a number of millennium development goals, much ahead of the targeted period. The generation of electricity has already reached over 7,000 megawatts, he said, adding that it could be hoped that this would go up to 21,000 megawatts, by 2021.
Fakir Ashraf of Jatiya Party spoke vehemently against hartals. “All political parties should reach a consensus that they would not call hartals any more, because it is the most destructive thing for the economy.”
Abul Kashem Mazumder, in his paper, pointed out that Bangladesh could not achieve the position it sought, because of a lack of political stability, presence of political rivalries, and the dearth of short-term and long-term perspective plans.
-With The Independent input
