Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Prime Minister's Adviser on the ministries of Finance and Planning, said on Monday the government is considering increasing investments from India and China in Bangladesh's industrial sector, reports BSS.
He said this while speaking to reporters after separate meetings with the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma and Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen at his Secretariat office.
Titumir said the government is also reviewing the future of various projects undertaken in Bangladesh in the past with support from India and China.
He said the fallen government had left the country's economy in a devastated condition before fleeing, and the current administration needs to inject new vitality into the economy.
"In line with the manifesto of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, we have to increase investments," he said.
The Adviser noted that increased investment would boost production, which in turn would expand employment opportunities and raise revenue earnings. "With increased revenue, we will be able to invest more in health, education and other sectors," he added.
Titumir said the government is holding meetings with representatives of various countries to achieve this goal, and discussions were held with the Ambassador of China and High Commissioner of India as part of that process.
He said discussions with India mainly focused on the current status of projects implemented under the Line of Credit (LoC) and how they could be advanced in line with Bangladesh's present development priorities.
Referring to regional cooperation, he said Bangladesh always believes in maintaining good relations with all South Asian countries and linking those relations with development. In this context, discussions were held on strengthening development cooperation among Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal, particularly in the fields of electricity, energy and other areas.
The Adviser said the country is currently facing an energy crisis and noted that some energy agreements signed in the past were unequal.
