Economists urge parties to restore stability thru dialogue

A total of 16 eminent economists called upon all political parties on Friday to restore stability in the country through dialogue.
In a statement, issued by Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad on behalf of the economists, they also urged the parties to refrain from making any provocative statement.
"We urge all political parties concerned to take steps so that they get engaged in dialogues to restore political stability in the country by upholding its independence and sovereignty."
The economists said people were dying pathetically in deadly violence and sabotage, and it was continuing. People, irrespective of age and sex, were passing a terrified life, and the economy was facing an irreparable damage.
The statement said production was getting halted in the industries, and import-export trade along with commodity supply chain was in a vulnerable position due to the transportation problem.
Besides, poor farmers are suffering most, as they are not being able to sell their produce. Boro production will face a blow in this season due to the problem with supply and distribution of inputs.
Small and medium businesses are also taking a financial blow, while day-labourers, including agriculture labourers, are remaining unemployed, the statement also said.
"The violent activities, which kill people by burning, create fear among common people, destroy their income sources, and are set to damage the economy, cannot be called political activities. Rather these are terrorism."
"We think the government will have to take tougher action against those, involved in violent acts and sabotage," the economists said.
They also said various terrorist organisations get scopes to operate in a land of political instability.  
Besides Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, others making the statement are Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed, Professor Ashraf Uddin Chowdhury, Professor Abdur Sattar Mondol, Khondker Ibrahim Khaled, Toufic Ahmad Chowdhury, Professor Muhammad Mahbub Ali (Daffodil International University), Masih Malik Chowdhury, FCA (president, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Bangladesh), Mohammad Farash Uddin, Professor Abul Barakat, Mostafa Kamal Mujeri, Zaid Bakht, Professor Hannana Begum, Professor Shafiq uz Zaman, Jamaluddin Ahmed, FCA (general secretary, Bangladesh Economic Association), and Professor Nitai Chandra Nag (Chittagong University and Dhaka School of Economics).
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