FBCCI
No excess profit on essential items: FBCCI to businesses
Amid the soaring prices, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Md Jasim Uddin on Sunday urged businesses not to make excessive profit on essential goods considering the situation.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic hit the earning of almost all people triggering the price hike of essentials, which ultimately added to the commoners’ woes.
The FBCCI president said this at a views-exchange meeting with importers, wholesalers and traders at the FBCCI office.
“Of course, you’ll make profit from your businesses, but do not do excesses,” Jasim told the businesses.
He expressed concerns at the discrepancies in pricing of similar goods based on areas and markets.
Read: NBR urged to withdraw, slash duties on 4 essential items
“Suppose a one-kg cucumber is sold at Tk 10 at Karwan Bazar while Tk 50 in Gulshan area,” Jasim said urging the business people to stop this practice.
He said often blame is passed on to the business community as a whole but every businessman is not a profit monger. “There are some dishonest businesses who always try to cash in on the situation,” the FBCCI president added.
The consumers of the country have been suffering from the soaring prices of essentials, such as sugar, edible oil and vegetables amid the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic.
Besides, he said, the price hike of energy and commodities and depreciation of local currency have been fuelling the inflationary pressure on consumers.
Read:Price hike in Bangladesh: Unseen sufferings of shy middle class
Many of the businesses attended the meeting said extortion by vested quarters contributed to the price spirals of many items.
A businessman who attended the meeting told the correspondent not to be named that he has to pay a toll of Tk 9,000 per truck for the van to reach Dhaka from Bagura.
Strict lockdown from Friday, again
Upping its guard against the devastating Delta variant of Covid-19, the Bangladesh government on Thursday announced the resumption of the countrywide strict lockdown from July 23.
The restrictions are to come into force at 8am on July 23 and will continue till August 5 midnight, unless extended again.
Read: Bangladesh eases lockdown restrictions ahead of Eid
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain, however, told UNB that this lockdown will be stricter than the one imposed last time. Police, the para-military Bangladesh Border Guard and the Army will keep a strict vigil on the roads.
"Offices, courts, garment factories and all other export-oriented industries, everything to be precise, will remain closed. Strict restrictions will remain as before," he said.
Despite industry bodies BGMEA and FBCCI urging the government to keep garment and related industries out of the purview of the Covid lockdown, the Minister said that no decision was taken this month. "We will take a call as per the situation," he added.
Read: Lockdown: Vehicles, public movement increase in capital city on the 6th day
Asked if there were any plans to ease the lockdown for those who went home for Eid, he said, "No, those who went back to their home districts can't return to the city before August 5. We had made it clear earlier too."
On July 13, the government decided to ease the lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days due to Eid-ul-Azha. The lockdown restrictions were lifted a day later.
FBCCI president for more market research to boost trade with Malaysia
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) President Md. Jashim Uddin has laid emphasis on doing more market research and evaluation on export diversification to deal with the Malaysian market.
He made the suggestion when Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BMCCI) President Raquib Mohammad Fakhrul along with the Board of Directors met him at his office.
The BMCCI President submitted some important points in a memorandum to the FBCCI President for consideration.
Also read: Bangladesh to gain new commercial facilities post-LDC graduation: FBCCI
He proposed to undertake an initiative to sign Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Malaysia by ensuring Bangladesh’s interest which has been a long pending issue.
He also talked about promoting relocation of Malaysian sun-set Industries to Bangladesh, to make close connectivity between Chattogram and Penang Port; to organize events on Trade & Investment opportunity in Bangladesh on a regular basis.
The FBCCI President assured of providing all possible support for development of trade and investment opportunities between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
He thanked the BMCCI leaders for their appreciable role in promoting bi-lateral relationships between the two countries.
Also read: Bengal Group’s Jashim Uddin elected FBCCI president
He proposed to sitting again together with FBCCI, BMCCI and other concern stakeholders with all required data to discuss more and precisely on proposed FTA between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
FBCCI Vice President Md. Habib Ullah Dawn, Director Syed Moazzem Hossain and Director Syed Almas Kabir took part enthusiastically.
Harassment in name of raids at hotel, restaurants unacceptable: FBCCI President
FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin has said that raids on hotels, restaurants and guest houses during the covid situation are unacceptable, calling it out as harassment.
“The owners of hotels, motels and restaurants are trying very hard to turn the wheel of their fortune despite being hit very hard by the pandemic. But harassment in the name of raids at these institutions are only increasing their miseries,” he said.
“These raids are absolutely unacceptable during the covid situation,” he said.
Read FBCCI donates Tk 8cr to Prime Minister’s two funds
He came up with these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an eventful opening ceremony of The Rio Lounge, an upscale buffet restaurant on the eighth floor of Pink City in Gulshan on Friday evening.
The FBCCI president also praised the incentive packages provided to the entrepreneurs by the government during the pandemic.
“Many entrepreneurs are coming forward to invest in new businesses during this challenging time because of the incentive packages provided by the Prime Minister,” he said.
Read Bengal Group’s Jashim Uddin elected FBCCI president
FBCCI donates Tk 8cr to Prime Minister’s two funds
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), the country's apex business organisation, has donated Tk 5 crore to the Prime Minister's assistance fund and Tk 3 crore to the Private Housing Fund as part of the government's initiative to help people affected by coronavirus.
FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim handed over the two pay orders at the PM's office on Tuesday afternoon. On behalf of the Prime Minister, his principal secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus received the pay orders.
Read Bengal Group’s Jashim Uddin elected FBCCI president
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested everyone to come forward to tackle the epidemic. The FBCCI has come forward to respond to the call of the Prime Minister.
FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's provision of housing to the homeless is a timely and commendable initiative. Offering houses to the homeless and landless is the biggest festival for the people of Bangladesh in Mujib Year.
Read Why FBCCI’s failure to halt polls won’t be declared illegal: HC
“We have all been going through a difficult time for more than a year now. We call upon all the businessmen and business organizations of the country to extend their hand of cooperation in the construction of Bangabandhu's Sonar Bangla. On the golden jubilee of independence, we have taken it as our duty to respond to the call of the Prime Minister to overcome the epidemic in the country.”
Bengal Group’s Jashim Uddin elected FBCCI president
The vice-chairman of Bengal Group of Industries Md Jashim Uddin has been elected president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) for the next two years.
The FBCCI election board announced the name on Sunday (May 09, 2021).
Motahar Group of Industries Managing Director Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu was elected senior vice-president of the FBCCI from the Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Read Why FBCCI’s failure to halt polls won’t be declared illegal: HC
According to the results, the six other vice presidents were elected from the Association Group and the Chamber Group respectively.
Of them, three association group representatives are MA Momen, from Bangladesh Kali Prostutkarak Malik Samity, Md Amin Helaly, from Bangladesh Pathya Pustok Mudrak -o- Biponon Samity and Md Habib Ullah Dawn, Bangladesh Leather Goods Manufacturing Association.
The other three vice presidents from Chamber Group are Md Aminul Hoque Shamin from Mymensingh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Md Salahuddin Alamgir from Pirojpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and MA Razzak Khan from Meherpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Read Sheikh Fahim new President of D-8 Chamber
Newly-elected FBCCI President Jashim Uddin was one of the nominated directors of the board from the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
On April 26, directors of the FBCCI board were elected without any voting as the number of valid candidates was 78 against 80 directorship posts.
Read Bangladesh to gain new commercial facilities post-LDC graduation: FBCCI
Why FBCCI’s failure to halt polls won’t be declared illegal: HC
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule seeking explanation as to why the inaction of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) to halt its election process should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by one of the FBCCI committee members.
The rule also asked why a notice of the Commerce Ministry issued on April 7 directing to continue the FBCCI election process would not be declared illegal.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan and HM Sanjid Siddique stood for the writ petitioner.
The writ was filed as the FBCCI election process was directed to continue amid the surge of coronavirus deaths and infections, said Advocate HM Sanjid Siddique.
Voting for the upcoming FBCCI Board of Directors elections is scheduled to be held on May 5.
Govt urged to allow export-oriented factories to run during lockdown
Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) Director Syed Nurul Islam on Saturday urged the government to allow the factories in textiles, garments and accessories sectors to run strictly maintaining health guidelines during the lockdown.
Islam, also a director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said such decision to keep factories operational during lockdown will help the export-oriented sector of the country continue their struggle to sustain amid the Covid-19 situation.
Otherwise, he said, the government’s stimulus package or support will go in vain.
Also read: Bangladesh again breaks daily Covid death record with 77
The Chairman and CEO of Well Group of Industries made the request in a message sent to media on Saturday.
He said if the factories are allowed to operate with strict health guidelines in place, over five million of male and female workers will be able to survive.
The government has decided to put the country under a strict lockdown for a week from April 14 amid a growing number of Covid-19 cases.
Also read: Worsening Covid crisis: Bangladesh resorting to full lockdown
Seventy-seven people died from Covid-19 during 24 hours (till 8am Saturday), according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This is the highest number of deaths due to Covid-19 recorded in a day so far in the country while the number of daily deaths on April 8 was 74.
BGMEA election: Sammilita Parishad announces manifesto
The Sammilita Parishad on Tuesday announced its manifesto for BGMEA election for 2021-23 term.