Businesses recommend taskforce to implement stimulus package programmes

The country's leading business leaders have recommended forming a strong task force to implement short and medium-term programmes undertaken by the government quickly and accurately.

They said this at a meeting of the country's top business leaders presided over by Private Industries and Investment Advisor to the Prime Minister Salman F Rahman held on Monday, via digital media, read a press release.

The government has already undertaken short and medium-term programmes – under its stimulus package worth Tk 72,750 crore – to enhance its effort to overcome the economic losses due to the impact of Covid-19.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) convened the meeting in a bid to increase business leaders' cooperation in the government's efforts to address the pandemic in the country.

Business leaders also strongly recommend increasing the cash flow to all the banks in the country to keep the country's economic activities functional amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Appreciating the steps taken by the government to address the current situation in the business sector, Members of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Dhaka, and Bangladesh Employers Federation said they will extend their full support to the prime minister, if necessary, to take any drastic decision to maintain social distancing to prevent Covid-19 infections.

Bangladesh will take appropriate steps in the field of economy and business after overcoming this situation, business leaders said.

Business leaders said if they are contacted over the telephone before the circular is issued, it is easy to enter appropriate information regarding the various shortcomings mentioned in the circular.

Business leaders thanked the prime minister's advisor and the Bida chairman for arranging a digital meeting during such a critical time and requested more such meetings.

The meeting was attended by: Bida Executive Chairman Md Sirajul Islam, Mcci, Dhaka President Nihad Kabir, Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industries  President  Rupali Chowdhury, Mcci Vice President Anis A Khan, Former President of Mcci Syed Nasim Manzoor, Business Initiative Leading Development's Founding President and Chittagong Stock Exchange Chairman Asif Ibrahimm, Standard Chartered Bank's Chief Executive Officer and MCCI committee member Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Secretary General Mcci and Bangladesh Employers' Federation Farooq Ahmed, plus the officials of the Dhaka Investment Development Authority and Bida.