Economy
Dollar crisis to conclude by Jan 2023: Salman F Rahman
Adviser to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on private industry & investment, Salman F Rahman said, the ongoing crisis in the country for US dollars will resolve by coming January.
“The sanctions on the import of non-essential goods have had a positive effect. Due to the lack of dollars, there have been issues opening LC for the last 60 days but we are surplus in the present account. But there are some issues with legacy payments, which will be over in December. Hence, the dollar issues will be conclude next January,” He said speaking as the guest of honor at the signing ceremony of a strategic partnership between ABG Limited and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View Hotel on Sunday, November 20.
ABG Limited – a concern of the Bashundhara Group, has purchased a 25 percent stake in CSE.
“Bashundhara is coming to the stock market, I was amazed to hear it at the beginning. Bashundhara Group chairman and I have met several times but he has not shown his willingness in the stock market. I am very astonished by this,” Salman F Rahman said.
“In 14 years Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has brought the economy of Bangladesh to an unimaginable place. After coming out of jail at the end of 2008, if someone had said that the country would reach this height in the next 12-14 years, I would not have believed it myself. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has shown that,” he added.
Salman F Rahman also said that there are two contradictions in the nation’s economy.
“The first contradiction is that the tax-to-GDP ratio is very low. According to the growth in the economy, the ratio of tax to GDP should increase, but it could not. Yet economic growth is taking place,” he added.
Another major contradiction is the capital market capitalization to GDP ratio, said, adding, “The major weakness of the capital market of Bangladesh is that there are few institutional investors. The whole market depends on retail investors. Brokerage houses, merchant banks and all the infrastructure are there but institutional investors are not coming. Because of that, I am encouraging companies like Bashundhara Group. Although Bashundhara Group’s emphasis on commodity exchanges, it will play a role in equity markets too.”
Salman F Rahman urged other institutional investors to invest in the market too.
He further said that the prime minister has been able to bring the nation to this place because of private-sector entrepreneurs.
Expatriate Bangladeshis sent approximately US$ 2.11 billion in remittances during the first 28 days of September in the fiscal year 2024-25, according to data released by Bangladesh Bank on 29 September.
Of this total, state-owned and specialised banks handled $679.10 million, while private banks received $1.43 billion in remittances.
Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has vowed to expedite reforms and hold elections swiftly. Yunus, who recently assumed the role after the collapse of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year administration, expressed his commitment during an interview with Tokyo-based news outlet NHK WORLD in New York on Sunday. He was attending the United Nations General Assembly at the time.
Following mass student-led protests that ended Hasina’s long-standing rule in August, Yunus stepped in as the leader of the caretaker government. Known for founding Grameen Bank, an institution providing microloans to the underprivileged, Yunus, along with the bank, earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts in poverty alleviation.
During the interview, Yunus emphasized that the interim government’s primary mission is to implement reforms promptly and ensure elections are held as soon as the groundwork is complete. He underscored the importance of success, stating, “Failure is not something that we can accept.”
Addressing the pivotal role of students in the ousting of the Hasina administration, Yunus acknowledged the sacrifices made by young people, referring to their involvement as part of a “revolution.” He highlighted his intention to engage the younger generation in shaping policy.
Furthermore, Yunus called for continued support from Japan, Bangladesh’s largest donor, during this crucial transition period. He stressed that Japan’s assistance is vital to stabilizing Bangladesh’s economy and fostering a democratic foundation in the nation.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Adviser for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, announced today that steps will be taken to restrict the use of polythene shopping bags to safeguard future generations.
Starting from October 1, polythene bags will be banned in shopping malls, followed by a ban in kitchen markets from November 1.
“Everyone must take responsibility and stop using polythene voluntarily. Action against polythene producers will begin from November 1,” Rizwana Hasan stated during a seminar.
The Department of Environment (DoE) organized the seminar to raise public awareness about alternatives to banned polythene bags.
Rizwana Hasan highlighted that the restriction on polythene will be executed in phases according to legal provisions, and discussions with shopping centers and store owners are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition.
She also announced plans to make the government secretariat a plastic-free zone by December.
Other speakers at the seminar included Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, DoE Director General Dr. Abdul Hamid, Director Rajinara Begum, President of the Shop Owners Association Muhammad Helal Uddin, and Md. Arifur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at BUP. They discussed the harmful effects of polythene and the need for alternative products.
Earlier, Rizwana Hasan inaugurated a fair showcasing eco-friendly alternatives to polythene bags and visited 24 stalls. The fair featured products from government and private entrepreneurs, including reusable bags, jute bags, paper bags, and items made from bamboo and cane.
