Visiting World Bank vice president for South Asia Region Annette Dixon on Tuesday advised the government to improve the existing business environment for the private sector to become a middle income country. Dixon made the plea while talking to journalists after a meeting with Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman at the central bank headquarters in the capital. When asked whether World Bank will place any proposal to the government to mitigate the existing political unrest, she said that Bangladesh should take initiative to improve the business environment for the private sector so that it would become a middle income country.
She said that action of the central bank for access to long-term finance would help improve the private sector business environment.
When asked whether World Bank would extend its financing under its ongoing projects in the country, she said that they had already discussed at the meeting with the BB for extending cooperation.
She said, ‘We are also looking for further collaboration between the BB and World Bank to provide fresh financing’.
She said that the BB should give attention to implement the monetary policy accurately to ensure the economic stability.
The BB has a strong tradition for innovation in the financial sector and it should ensure the access to finance for the small, medium and large enterprises.
World Bank country director for Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan Johannes Zutt, senior adviser for South Asia region Hassan Zaman, lead economist for World Bank office in Dhaka Salman Zaidi also attended the meeting.
According to a World Bank press release, Annette Dixon arrived in Dhaka on February 21 to build on the longstanding partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank Group.
-With New Age input
