Business and law and order

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Payoffs to criminals have been a part of the business scene in Bangladesh for a long period of time. However, such payoffs and other torments used to be considered as bearable by businesses and this feeling led to their sustaining in their activities. But there are now reasons to believe that lines are being crossed, patience and faith of Bangladeshi businessmen are wearing thin and many of them are already actively considering leaving the country with their resources for foreign destinations.
There have been plenty of suggestions, admonitions and even pleadings from the business community -- aimed at the government-- to create an enabling environment for them in the sense of improved law and order conditions specially after the transition from the caretaker to the elected government. Donor organisations and foreign investors also added loudly to this demand.
Several position papers were issued from foreign sources such as the World Bank and the Japanese embassy in which many aspects were detailed that stand in the way of a better investment climate in the country. But all of these reports specially underscored the importance of improving law and order conditions, giving the same the highest priority, in relation to business activities. But the exhortations, unfortunately, appear not have produced an appropriate response befitting the problem.
Md Azimuddin
Gulshan, Dhaka