bdnews24.com :
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said that right investments are crucial for Bangladesh to become a middle-income country.
Foreign investment would be as important as domestic investment to raise growth pace to 10 percent, he said.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the BCS ICT World 2014, a mobile phone and computer technology exposition that began on Thursday at the capital’s Jamuna Future Park.
Ruling Awami League’s election manifesto promises to make Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021.
It expects the per capita income to rise to $ 1,500 from the current $ 1,044, growth to accelerate to 10 percent from the present 6.2 percent and poverty to go down to 13 percent from 26 percent.
“We now have a robust stock market to boost investment. It has increasingly stabilised itself since the 2010 crash. But it won’t be able to provide the kind of investment that we need,” the finance minister said.
“To fulfil that dream, however, we need a lot of foreign investment.”
The government was working to increase foreign investment, he said. “Without proper investment, the dream of becoming a middle-income country is an absurd one.”
State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak in his speech urged the finance minister to reduce the VAT on Internet.
Muhith in reply said such price cuts would have to wait till the next budget.
BCS ICT World will run till Mar 8, from 10am to 8pm every day. Over 150 firms will display their products and services. The entry fee has been waived for school students.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said that right investments are crucial for Bangladesh to become a middle-income country.
Foreign investment would be as important as domestic investment to raise growth pace to 10 percent, he said.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the BCS ICT World 2014, a mobile phone and computer technology exposition that began on Thursday at the capital’s Jamuna Future Park.
Ruling Awami League’s election manifesto promises to make Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021.
It expects the per capita income to rise to $ 1,500 from the current $ 1,044, growth to accelerate to 10 percent from the present 6.2 percent and poverty to go down to 13 percent from 26 percent.
“We now have a robust stock market to boost investment. It has increasingly stabilised itself since the 2010 crash. But it won’t be able to provide the kind of investment that we need,” the finance minister said.
“To fulfil that dream, however, we need a lot of foreign investment.”
The government was working to increase foreign investment, he said. “Without proper investment, the dream of becoming a middle-income country is an absurd one.”
State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak in his speech urged the finance minister to reduce the VAT on Internet.
Muhith in reply said such price cuts would have to wait till the next budget.
BCS ICT World will run till Mar 8, from 10am to 8pm every day. Over 150 firms will display their products and services. The entry fee has been waived for school students.
