Dhaka, Mar 11 (FN Bureau) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday called upon the global businessmen and investors to invest in Bangladesh to join hands in making smooth journey of transforming Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041. “You people (world business community) come. Bangladesh is always ready to welcome you here—invest in Bangladesh thinking it as your country,” she said while inaugurating a three-day “Bangladesh Business Summit 2023”. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) organised the summit at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital city to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the country’s apex business body FBCCI.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Commerce Ministry and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) are partnering the summit with the FBCCI. Welcoming the business people attending the summit, the Prime Minister said: “I called upon you all to join the journey of us towards making Bangladesh a high income generated, developed, prosperous and innovative Smart Bangladesh.She, however, assured the country’s business community of having beside them in their every need to face the post graduation challenges.
The Prime Minister reminded the business people from home and abroad that her government has been attaching topmost priority in improving the investment environment in Bangladesh to attract both the local and foreign direct investments.In this context, she said the BIDA is implementing the Bangladesh Investment Climate Improvement Programme mainly to put an end to the bureaucratic red tape. “Decisions will be implemented once they are taken,” she added. The Premier said 100 economic zones are being set up across the country and the government has offered lucrative advantages for foreign and local investments. She said the global people have been suffering due to the essentials’ price hike and high inflation rate due to the global economic recession streaming from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, economic sanctions and counter sanctions. “Bangladesh, like many other developing countries, is now facing serious trouble due to the global economic recession. Even the developed countries have been rattled because of it,” she said.Considering the sufferings of the common people, the Prime Minister asked the local business leaders to find out ways to bring to normal level the commodity prices, saying, “Otherwise they would have to lose the local market.
“Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is marching ahead towards prosperity and development confronting all the odds including the Covid-19 pandemic and the war. “We’re advancing towards prosperity overcoming all the hurdles and we have to make the current efforts more vibrant to continue the journey of progress,” she said. Briefly describing her government’s efforts to transform Bangladesh into a developing nation, she said a massive change has happened in the country in the last 14 years since the Awami League government assumed office in 2009. “Bangladesh has become one of the quickest economically progressed countries across the globe. Once upon a time Bangladesh was considered as the country of natural calamity and poverty. But, the situation has changed now. Bangladesh has now become the world’s 35th largest economy and “role model” for the development,” she added. Ministers from seven countries including the United Kingdom (UK), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), China, Bhutan, the United Arab Emirates, CEOs of 12 multinational companies and more than 200 foreign investors and business leaders from 17 countries of the world are participating in the summit.Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr Majeed bin Abdullah Alkussabi, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment of Bhutan Karma Dorji, Deputy Director spoke on the summit.