Staff Reporter :The country’s business community is playing a partisan role by raising voice only against vandalism and violence, rather than pressing the Prime Minister for holding a constructive dialogue to overcome the current political impasse.An opportunity was created for the businessmen to play a more practical role to resolve the ongoing crisis. But their role seems to be partial and it could lead the country towards further uncertainty, insiders said.The business community is also trying to secure undue state facility taking advantage of ongoing political crisis, they added. On Thursday, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) has demanded a 50 per cent reduction in value added tax to allow the businessmen to make up for their losses due to the political unrest.The DCCI also urged the government to reduce port duties by 50 per cent and not to impose fresh taxes.DCCI President Hossain Khaled raised the demand while meeting with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman M Nojibur Rahman.Insiders said, like DCCI other chamber and trade bodies are also going to raise similar demands soon to reap the benefit from the current impasse.”Their demands are more than irrational and impractical when the country plunged into deep political crisis. They should find out the root cause of the problem which lies on inclusive polls. That should be the ultimate solution,” a former business leader told The New Nation on Saturday on condition of anonymity.When this correspondent approached for comment in this regard from the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, he said, the ongoing political violence must be stooped first. Then we can press the issue to the Prime Minister for resolving the crisis.”The opposition alliance should shun the path of violent political programme to create an environment for dialogue. Do it first to see the reaction of the government. If the government does not show the sincerity to resolve crisis, the opposition alliance may again enforce blockade or hartal programme,” he added.He further said if the opposition alliance led by BNP refrains from destructive political programme, the business community can broker the talks. When asked, the FBCCI leader said that the business community is not paying a partisan role over the current political situation. They are trying to save trade and economy raising voice against act of violence and vandalism. “It’s a political problem and major parties must come out to find a solution over the crisis. If the solution comes through political process, it would sustain for long,” said former FBCCI President Annisul Huq.”DCCI, being a trade body is doing trade advocacy, not playing partisan role,” said its President Hossain Khaled. “We are working for the welfare of the trade organizations and time to time engage in advocacy to uphold the interest of the trade and business. We always remain vocal on destructive political programme and now we are doing the same,” he added.The DCCI leader further said that the ongoing blockade has severely affected business activities across the country. We want an immediate solution to the crisis. The solution may come in a common understanding among the feuding parties.
