Hasina asks businesses to 'act local'

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Awami League (AL) President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Tuesday private sector will be the main driving force of the economy if her party is voted to power at the forthcoming polls, report agencies.
Addressing a meeting on her party's 'Charter for changing days: Vision 2021' at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, the AL chief urged the business leaders to create jobs for the rural poor to ensure effective development of society.
"Poverty is our greatest problem. Whatever success you attain as a community, no market at home will ever emerge unless you help the rural poor pull themselves out of poverty and increase their purchasing power," Hasina said.
"Only reaping some profits through exporting the same merchandise for years together will not lead you or the country anywhere. You must consider producing commodities locally, sell locally, create employment opportunities and help the people at the grassroots to rid themselves of poverty."
Former President of Federation of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBBCI) and private sector affairs adviser of AL Salman F Rahman, former FBCCI president Yusuf Abdullah Haroon, current FBCCI president Annisul Huq and women entrepreneur leader Selima Ahmed spoke on the occasion and highlighted the prospect of trade and commerce and the problems in business sector. Diplomats and senior journalists were also present.
Seeking support of the members of the business community in the ensuing parliamentary elections at the meeting, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her party's main priority would be improvement of power sector, infrastructure development and creation of local market for the local products to alleviate poverty.
"Until you increase the purchasing capacity of the people, you cannot overcome poverty… And poverty alleviation is possible only when you utilise the potential in the agro-processing sector," she told her business audience at the meeting.
Bangladesh Awami League organised the meet titled 'Manifesto for Changes of Days, Vision 2021 -- Role of Private Sector' to present its economic policy to the business community.
Criticising last two years' stagnant situation in the economy, Sheikh Hasina said there had not been any hartal during the interregnum, but the businessmen had to "live in fear".
"You have witnessed what is called extortion and how many of its kinds are there. You know better how much they have put in their own pockets in the name of hunting extortionists," Hasina told the audience, in a veiled reference to the anti-graft drive after the 1/11 changeover.
She accused the businesses of bribing for securing works in a quick manner. "Some of you showed unwelcome traits of character by way of recourse to bribery to get works quickly. Please, never do this in future," Hasina said about some unscrupulous sections of businessmen.
She said that her government would always treat businessmen as only businessmen, no matter which party they belong to.
She, however, avoided any direct comment on the FBCCI president's call for banning hartal. "There had been no hartal in the last two years. Let's see how many days this habit could continue," she told the businessmen.
Sheikh Hasina also indirectly criticised the slogan of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, her party's main electoral rival, "Save the country, Save the people", saying that there will be nothing to say if they "sell off the country, kill people and smuggle the wealth of the country under cover of that slogan".
About political terrorism, she alleged military dictators had introduced this brand of terrorism. "But when I started saying this, then I was imprisoned."
Narrating the Awami League government's successes during the period between 1996 and 2001, Hasina said the country's economy achieved a 6.4 per cent growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) while the rate of inflation was only 1.59 per cent.
"If the growth is high and the inflation rate is lower, then the common people can benefit from that economic growth," she claimed.
She mentioned that her government had to face 308 days of hartal in its five-year tenure. But, despite that, the economic development was tremendous, he added.
The former prime minister said if the Awami League is voted back to power, then her government would initiate move for devolution of the administrative powers in order to strengthen the rural economy.
She said the Awami League would strengthen the state-owned BAPEX to expedite the hydrocarbon exploration through utilising the local resources and expertise.
Infrastructure projects like power plants, ports and roads will be implemented through the private sector while the public sector will invest in human resource development.
Regarding traffic jam in Dhaka city, Sheikh Hasina said a long elevated expressway would be built from Gazipur to the centre-point of Dhaka, touching all the key points like hotels, airports.
"This project would be implemented in the private sector. So, money will be no problem," she said. "We want to leave up such road and infrastructure projects to the private sector. They will invest the money."
She also emphasised the need for promotion of female entrepreneurship in the country, according that a special fund will be created for this purpose.
Sheikh Hasina said that her main thrust would be promotion of rural economy through encouraging people to set up agro-and food-processing industries.
"Nowadays, organic vegetables have a tremendous demand in the globe market. We can take the advantage of it through utilising our fertile land. This will meet local demand as well as earn foreign exchanges."
She said her party's policy is to build a self-reliant economy through attaining food sufficiency. "But other parties may have other policy to show up the country as a beggar country."
She urged the businesspeople not to concentrate only on the garment sector but also concentrate on introduction of new items in the export basket.
Sheikh Hasina said: "I'll not read out my prepared speech. I understand that overall economic development will warrant your support."
Responding to the businessmen's demands, Hasina assured them of undertaking the construction of a dual highway from Dhaka to Gazipur and a new airport.
"The FBCCI President Annisul Huq said, 'money is no problem'. Well, we would like to leave enterprises like the construction and maintenance of a new airport and a dual highway with private entrepreneurs," the former prime minister noted.
Addressing the meeting, President of Federation of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBBCI), Annisul Huq said: "Realising the goal of economic prosperity is indicative of political stability, we appreciate Awami League's election manifesto very much."
"If Awami League comes to power, we expect the government then will attach due priority to the gas and power generation and distribution activities and render BAPEX effective.
"We'll provide funds for gas exploration and infrastructure development, as necessary."
Corruption and procrastination in decision making are worse impediments to industrial development than dearth of funds in the country, the FBCCI chief said.
"Raising the GDP growth rate to 8.0-9.0 per cent should no be a problem when the issues of political terrorism and extortion can be handled successfully," he said.
Addressing Hasina, the FBCCI chief said, "Madam, look at these people present here, none would want another hartal for suspension of all business and related economic activities countrywide."
All the business leaders present raised their hands and chanted in unison, "No, we want no hartal."
Former FBCCI president Yousuf Abdullah Harun said, "The upcoming government will have to take care of the problem-ridden business sector which suffered considerably during the past two years."
He alleged that the BNP-led government had only favoured a few business houses during its regime.
Women chamber president Selima Rahman said, "Days will really change when the political parties will evaluate the business people."
The FBCCI President said the Awami League election manifesto truly reflected the importance it had given to business and the economy.
"This manifesto has given a confidence in the minds of the businessmen," he said.