Stakeholders Meeting on Upcoming Election Manifesto of the Political Parties held on 19 August 2013
In order to ensure a business friendly environment and keep the economic growth and development of the country uninterrupted, International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) demanded business friendly election manifestoes from the Political Parties ahead of the upcoming 10th national parliamentary election. IBFB reiterated such remarks in a Stakeholders Meeting organized by IBFB on Monday, 19 Aug 2013 in Dhaka where Mr. Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, President, FBCCI was present as the Chief Guest.
While delivering his speech as the FBCCI President said, the political parties will now develop their election manifestoes ahead of the forthcoming national election to attract the voters. As such, the political parties should prepare their election manifestos in such a way that will ensure good business environment in the days ahead and thus attract the voters of the business community in the forthcoming national election.
As a primary discussion ahead of a national advocacy workshop to be held in September 2013 in Dhaka, IBFB organized this Stakeholders Meeting so as to discuss and finalize the key points to be handed over to the political parties for their incorporation in their respective election manifestos and effective implementation to ensure a better business environment in the country. Dr. M. Abul Kashem Mozumder, Professor, Public Administration Dept. of Jahangirnagar University presented the Keynote Paper in the meeting.
Chaired by Mr. Hafizur Rahman Khan, President, IBFB, and moderated by Mr. Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, Founding President of IBFB, the meeting was also attended by Md. Omar Shafayat Kauser,IBFB Vice President and other Directors and members of IBFB, Mr. Humayun Rashid, Managing Director of Energypac & President of France Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Monzurul Haque,Director of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Habibullah N Karim, Director of Dhaka Metropolitan Chamber and Former President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, Mr. Mohammad Ali Deen, President of Noagaon Chamber, Mr. Suhel Ahmed Chowdhury,Former Commerce Secretary, Mr. A K Chowdhury, Chartered Accountant, Ms. Lutfunnisa Suadia Khan, Director of Bangla Phone, Ms. Priti Chakraborty, Chairman of Aysha Memorial Hospital etc.Representatives from different foreign missions and international agencies like USA Embassy, DFID, International Republican Institute (IRI) and different print and electronic media were also present in the meeting.
The business leaders present in the meeting opined that the national interests and economic growth should be considered as the top most priority. Therefore, all political parties participating in the forthcoming national election must provide with written and clear guidelines in their election manifestos about what initiatives they will take to uphold a good business friendly environment etc. to protect the business and economy of the country when they come into the power or go in the opposition side after the forthcoming national election.
In order to reduce the cost of doing business, the business leaders, however, demanded some specific economic agenda to be included in aforesaid upcoming election manifestoes of the political parties such asassurance of good governance & rule of law, reducing corruption, specific measures to ascertain 8% and above GDP Growth Rate, export oriented industry & trade policy to achieve at least 25% export income, 2nd railway line, a special ministerial committee comprising the Ministers for Finance, Commerce, Industry and Shipping, Specific Food & Energy Security policy, reformation of the banking sector etc. In addition, they also demanded certain timeframe in the election manifestos about approval of the PPP Act in the next parliament.
