The office-bearers of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), led by its President Taskeen Ahmed, paid a courtesy call on Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.

During the meeting, Taskeen Ahmed said the government has already taken several timely and effective measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing energy crisis stemming from the Middle East war.

However, he stressed that sustaining people’s livelihoods, employment, industrial production and overall economic activities should remain a top priority.

DCCI urges govt  to adopt proactive policy measures to safeguard economy amid Middle East tension  

Taskeen underscored the need for effective initiatives and their proper implementation through stronger coordination with the private sector.

The DCCI president also welcomed the government’s consideration to defer Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status, noting that continued engagement with relevant international institutions is essential.

He urged the authorities to take more proactive measures to address post-LDC graduation challenges by incorporating private sector participation and implementing their recommendations.

Highlighting the impact of multiple global shocks since the Covid-19 pandemic, Taskeen said the country’s CMSME sector has been the worst affected, despite contributing around 30 percent to national GDP and generating nearly 80 percent of industrial sector employment.

To address challenges faced by SME entrepreneurs, he called for low-interest loan facilities, easier access to credit, simplified loan procedures, incentives and tax exemptions.

Principal Secretary Abdus Sattar said the government remains committed to fulfilling people’s aspirations and will continue engaging with the private sector through dialogue to address emerging challenges, accelerate industrial activities and achieve future economic goals.

DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman and Acting Secretary General Dr A K M Asaduzzaman Patwary were also present at the meeting.