Bangladesh Jamaat‑e‑Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said that rampant extortion and corruption are undermining the country’s business environment.
Speaking at the fourth Bangladesh Economic Conference, he said widespread irregularities are discouraging both local entrepreneurs and foreign investors. The conference was held at a hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.
“Wealthy or poor, everyone contributes to the economy. But the economy must be grounded in fairness,” Shafiqur said.
Calling for initiatives to transform the country’s population into productive human resources, he warned that rising bureaucratic hurdles and criminal influence are putting entrepreneurs at risk. “In many cases, the state itself enables these criminal practices,” he added.
He noted that although businesspeople are often labelled “opportunistic,” they are compelled to shift their positions with every change of government. “The responsibility for this lies with the state and political leadership,” he said.
Bangladesh has yet to create a true comfort zone for domestic and international investors, Shafiqur observed. “It is time to take an oath to finally ‘bell the cat’,” he remarked.
He further stressed the need to prioritise technical education rather than certificate‑oriented learning. “Every household should become an industry hub,” he said.
Pointing to irregularities even in the appointment of mosque imams and muezzins, the Ameer said:
“Everyone says they hate corruption, yet many struggle to resist temptation when it concerns their own interests. Political goodwill is the real foundation for change. We must move forward together to bring about rational reforms.”
He added that Jamaat’s aim is to build a corruption‑free, just society and to cultivate skilled and ethical professionals.
