BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday emphasised the urgent need for reopening factories and industries closed over the past 15 years, reminding that their shutdown has left 1.4 million people unemployed.
Speaking at the ‘4th Bangladesh Economic Summit 2025’ in Dhaka, Fakhrul said policymakers must reconsider the approach toward businesspeople and focus on job creation.
“Where will these people go? Why are we creating this unemployment? We need to look at how we can restart these factories and create jobs for these people through these institutions,” he said.
The BNP leader criticised the treatment of entrepreneurs, particularly those involved in corruption, arguing that while wrongdoers should be punished, the closure of factories harms thousands of workers. “Shutting them down has left 1.4 million people unemployed,” he reiterated.
"I believe the mindset towards businesspeople in Bangladesh needs to change. Those who have looted, stolen, or committed financial crimes over the past 15 years must be held accountable and face proper punishment," the BP leader said.
Fakhrul also claimed that BNP has always prioritised the economy, asserting that the country’s economic growth was strongest when the party was in power.
He highlighted the party’s current focus on improving the lives of ordinary citizens, including farmers and labourers and ensuring economic stability.
The BNP leader cited the country’s progress in food security, noting that Bangladesh, which faced a food deficit of 2.8 million metric tons in 1971, is now nearly self-sufficient.
He stressed that even greater achievements are possible if farmers receive timely access to fertiliser and seeds.
Mirza Fakhrul reiterated the party's commitment to comprehensive reforms, referencing the July Charter signed by the BNP.
He pointed to earlier proposals, including Vision 2030 presented by Begum Khaleda Zia in 2016 and the 31-point demand of 2023, covering economic and political reforms.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented a summary of the party’s plans for economic reforms if it forms the next government, emphasising that the party aims to transform Bangladesh into a prosperous nation.