Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said coordinated efforts between the government and the private sector could bring significant positive changes to Bangladesh’s economy within the next four to five years.
He made the remarks at a consultation meeting with business leaders at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, organised by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
“Our goal is to work for the country and its people. There are challenges in some areas, but we can overcome them if we work together,” the prime minister said.
Tarique Rahman said the government and entrepreneurs share an understanding of the economic challenges facing the country and that resolving those issues would require continued dialogue and cooperation.
“We all acknowledge that there are many problems. The government has been able to demonstrate that we are making efforts. Although we have not completed six months in office, we have already met several times with you and different forums. We are addressing sector-specific challenges,” he said.
The prime minister said many issues raised by business leaders during previous meetings had already been resolved, while new concerns discussed at Saturday’s meeting would be reviewed and addressed.
He said the government plans to hold another meeting with business representatives within the next two to three months.
“The more we meet, the better we will understand your problems and the easier it will be to find solutions,” he said, stressing that sustained discussions could help resolve complex challenges.
At the meeting, business leaders highlighted issues related to business expansion, foreign investment, industrial development, access to finance, policy support and creating a more investment-friendly environment.
The meeting was informed that 21 of the 28 issues discussed in the previous meeting had already been decided upon, while the remaining seven were still under consideration.
Business leaders also placed a roadmap to increase Bangladesh’s export earnings to $100 billion by 2030. The government assured them of extending diplomatic support to help expand exports.
The meeting was attended by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, Commerce, Industry, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury , Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman, senior government officials and representatives of leading business groups.
