Overseas employment from Bangladesh has fallen by 35 per cent, while private sector credit growth has dropped to its lowest level in three decades, Hasnat Abdullah, member of parliament for Cumilla-4, has told parliament.
He made the remarks while raising a supplementary question to Mir Shahe Alam, state minister for local government, rural development and co-operatives, during the fourth session of the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday.
“Private sector credit disbursement has dropped to 3.42 per cent, the lowest level in three decades, with virtually no flow of credit to the private sector,” Hasnat Abdullah said.
He added that although there had been a promise to create 15 million jobs over the past 18 months, there was no clear record of how many people had actually secured employment. Domestic employment had not increased, while overseas employment had declined by 35 per cent, he said.
Hasnat Abdullah also alleged that the ‘Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar’ project was renamed ‘Amar Bari Amar Khamar’ during the Awami League government’s tenure, claiming that widespread irregularities and corruption had taken place under the project.
He asked whether the government had any specific figures on how many employable people with technological and language skills had been trained through the co-operative system and what contribution they were making to national GDP.
He also sought an update from the state minister on the judicial status of the case against the former project director accused of corruption in the project.
In response, Mir Shahe Alam did not provide specific answers to the questions, saying Hasnat Abdullah had combined issues relating to several ministries.
He said detailed information and answers could be provided in parliament if separate questions were directed to the ministers responsible for the relevant ministries.
