FBCCI logo. COURTESY
Country’s businessmen Saturday stressed highly the need for ensuring export diversification to face the challenges of the post LDC graduation. In order to ensure export diversification and enhancing capacity, they demanded of the government to give equal treatment to all the export-oriented sectors instead of concentrating on some few sectors.
The businessmen came up with the opinion at a seminar titled “Bangladesh’s export challenges in post LDC graduation: the role of the private sector” organized by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) held at its office in city’s Motijheel area.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus joined the Programme as the chief guest while BIDA executive chairman Md Sirazul Islam, Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana and Planning Commission member Sharifa Khan spoke as special guests.
FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin gave the welcome address while former member of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Mostafa Abid Khan made the key-note presentation.
Former president of MCCI Syed Nasim Monzur, PWC Bangladesh managing partner Mamun Rashid, FBCCI adviser Monzur Ahmed, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission former chairman Dr Mojibur Rahman and CPD research director Dr Khandaker Golam Moazzem spoke as panel discussants.
Listing a set of export supporting proposals, the FBCCI President said that following the LDC graduation, the export oriented sectors would face most of the challenges.
“For this, all export sectors should get equal opportunities to boost country’s exports,” he said urging the government for allowing establishment of industries through only permanent registration without the necessity for renewal, land, environment, fire safety and tax related certificates.
He also called upon the government for taking necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted supply of energy alongside building necessary Human Resources.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ahmad Kaikaus said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself makes branding of country’s businesses as she usually takes businessmen as her entourage members while touring abroad.
Mentioning that Bangladesh has still four years more to make LDC graduation which is also not a short time, he said that in the pace Bangladesh is moving ahead, it would change the projections of various organizations.
Kaikaus also said that there was no corruption in the mega projects and in procurement of vaccines. BIDA Executive Chairman Md Sirazul Islam said that although the World Bank has stopped publishing the ease of doing business index, but the BIDA has been working relentlessly to improve such improvement.
He informed that since launching of the once stop service in 2019, BIDA has so far delivered more than 50,000 services.
Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that there is no alternative to striking free trade agreements for gaining export and trade competitiveness in the long run for which the government has been giving its relentless efforts.
The speakers at the seminar underscored the need for building skilled Human Resources, maintaining the supply chain, reaching 5G and broadband services in every nook and corner, ensuring industry-academia linkage and signing more FTAs.
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