Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has pledged to remove all existing barriers to business and investment in the country. He said attracting foreign investment is not possible without first expanding domestic investment, and that the government is working tirelessly to ensure a business-friendly environment.
He made the remarks Saturday, August 22, as chief guest at a seminar titled “Fiscal Year 2026 Biannual Economic Outlook: Fiscal and Monetary Policy Perspectives and Private Sector Expectations,” organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
The finance minister said that easing regulation or withdrawing unnecessary restrictions is easier said than done, but that the government remains committed to it and will not spare anyone in the process.
He said the government has taken an initiative to build a special website to directly identify businesses’ problems and take swift, effective action.
Referring to the electricity and gas crisis, the finance minister said such problems cannot be solved overnight and will take time. He said the government is working to build a three-month energy reserve to secure future energy security.
He said the government has already announced a 600-billion-taka stimulus package. Entrepreneurs who meet the set conditions will receive loan support, he said, and no political interference will be tolerated in the process.
The finance minister also announced a project called the “Creative Economy” for small entrepreneurs, under which support will be provided for access to loans, skills development, product design and marketing.
He said the government is working to move the country from a patronage-based economy toward a democratic economy.
Noting that the government’s development initiatives cannot be sustainably implemented without raising the tax-to-GDP ratio, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said there is no alternative to automation for bringing transparency and efficiency to the tax system.
He also emphasized reducing long-term dependence on bank loans and expanding alternative sources of financing. Various initiatives have already been taken to strengthen the country’s capital market, he said, and the government is actively considering introducing several new bonds.
The finance minister also said the government has had to spend an additional $4 billion to $5 billion on energy bills because of the ongoing Middle East crisis. He said balancing all sources of energy is among the government’s priorities, though renewable energy, particularly solar power, is being given greater emphasis in the near term.
Noting that various incentives have been offered in the budget to increase investment in this sector, he called on entrepreneurs to come forward.
Economists and business leaders present at the seminar also identified the cost of doing business, high interest rates, the energy crisis, stagnant investment and declining private-sector credit flow as the economy’s main challenges.
The event was attended by economists, business figures and representatives of various institutions, including Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of PPRC and chairman of BRAC; Mahbubur Rahman, president of ICC Bangladesh; Dr. Zaidi Sattar, chairman of PRI; and Professor Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at CPD.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report