UNB, Dhaka :
Describing the ongoing destructive and subversive acts unleashed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance as anti-development ones, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Monday said the government is quite confident to overcome the crisis.
“These (subversive acts) are not at all anything to do with politics, but mostly anti-development activities, at least how I see it, and it’s very unfortunate. But, we’re quite confident that we shall overcome the situation and the temporary crisis. I’ve heard of a certain timeframe but, I don’t want to speak further on it…soon it will be over,” he said.
The Finance Minister was speaking when a delegation of the Confederation of the Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) met him at his ministry’s conference room.
FBCCI president Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, FBCCI 1st vice president Monwara Hakim Ali, CACCI president Jemal Inaishvili and other CACCI leaders were present.
Muhith said, the country entered the New Year, 2015, with a great hope, particularly with the background of 2014. “But, this has slightly impeded at the moment because of the anti-development activities.”
Citing that Bangladesh still has a pretty low investment, the Finance Minister said the investment ratio to GDP went up by two percent in the last five years which is also extremely low. “Our target is to reach this investment ratio to GDP to 32 percent during our five-year term this time.”
About the government’s achievement in alleviating poverty, he said the people below the poverty line are currently 22 percent, down from 70 percent 40 years ago. “We can take pride that we’ve not only reduced poverty, but also we’ve reduced the gap of the poor and the extreme poor.”
Noting that the current environment in the South Asia region is very good for trade and investment, Muhith hoped that very shortly Nepalese and Bhutanese goods would move into Bangladesh and also go to these countries without any impediment, and a meeting with India regarding this is just being fixed.
The Finance Minister also noted that the total regional trade in South Asia is only four percent of the trade of the countries and that needs to be enhanced.
Turning again to the ongoing countrywide hartals and blockades, he said although there is hartal going on, but life is still very normal.
Describing the ongoing destructive and subversive acts unleashed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance as anti-development ones, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Monday said the government is quite confident to overcome the crisis.
“These (subversive acts) are not at all anything to do with politics, but mostly anti-development activities, at least how I see it, and it’s very unfortunate. But, we’re quite confident that we shall overcome the situation and the temporary crisis. I’ve heard of a certain timeframe but, I don’t want to speak further on it…soon it will be over,” he said.
The Finance Minister was speaking when a delegation of the Confederation of the Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) met him at his ministry’s conference room.
FBCCI president Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, FBCCI 1st vice president Monwara Hakim Ali, CACCI president Jemal Inaishvili and other CACCI leaders were present.
Muhith said, the country entered the New Year, 2015, with a great hope, particularly with the background of 2014. “But, this has slightly impeded at the moment because of the anti-development activities.”
Citing that Bangladesh still has a pretty low investment, the Finance Minister said the investment ratio to GDP went up by two percent in the last five years which is also extremely low. “Our target is to reach this investment ratio to GDP to 32 percent during our five-year term this time.”
About the government’s achievement in alleviating poverty, he said the people below the poverty line are currently 22 percent, down from 70 percent 40 years ago. “We can take pride that we’ve not only reduced poverty, but also we’ve reduced the gap of the poor and the extreme poor.”
Noting that the current environment in the South Asia region is very good for trade and investment, Muhith hoped that very shortly Nepalese and Bhutanese goods would move into Bangladesh and also go to these countries without any impediment, and a meeting with India regarding this is just being fixed.
The Finance Minister also noted that the total regional trade in South Asia is only four percent of the trade of the countries and that needs to be enhanced.
Turning again to the ongoing countrywide hartals and blockades, he said although there is hartal going on, but life is still very normal.
