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DHAKA, April 6, 2026 (BSS) - The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
(DCCI) today urged the central bank to address a 22-year low in private 
sector credit growth, as Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman 
FCMA signaled a strategic pivot toward the CMSME and agricultural sectors to 
stabilize the national economy.

The DCCI Board of Directors, led by President Taskeen Ahmed, paid a courtesy 
call on the Governor at the BB headquarters in Motijheel to discuss the 
prevailing liquidity crunch and necessary policy interventions, said a press 
release.

During the meeting, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed apprised the Governor of the 
deteriorating private sector investment climate, underscoring that credit 
growth has plummeted to its lowest level in over two decades. 

He highlighted that the current monetary environment, characterized by high 
policy rates and a widening spread, has made financing increasingly expensive 
and less accessible for manufacturing industries and Small and Medium 
Enterprises (SMEs).

To stimulate recovery, the DCCI advocated for a gradual lowering of the 
policy rate to reduce borrowing costs. 

Alternatively, the Chamber pressed for the provision of subsidised loans 
specifically targeted at priority sectors, including manufacturing and 
export-oriented SMEs.

The Chamber expressed significant concern regarding the recent tightening of 
loan classification rules, which reduced the grace period from nine months to 
three months. 

President Taskeen Ahmed maintained that this shift, combined with energy 
shortages and weak demand, has placed unsustainable pressure on legitimate 
businesses.

"Considering these challenges, the central bank should reconsider loan 
rescheduling facilities for unintentional defaulters and extend the loan 
classification period to at least six months," Ahmed stated during the 
discussion.

Responding to the Chamber's concerns, Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman, FCMA, 
observed that the national economy has become over-dependent on a limited 
range of products and export markets. 

He maintained that prioritizing the Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium 
Enterprise (CMSME) sector and agricultural management is the only viable path 
to stimulating the domestic economy and generating employment.

Addressing the persistence of high inflation, the Governor attributed the 
trend to elevated costs in logistics and product management, emphasizing that 
everyone must work together to remove these obstacles to ensure price 
stability.

He linked the need for policy reform directly to the nation's ability to 
compete for capital.

"In recent years, our GDP growth rate has not been satisfactory, which has 
left us behind in attracting both foreign and domestic investment. To 
overcome this, there is no alternative to reforming business and trade 
policies and easing the cost of business," he added.

The BB Governor assured the DCCI leadership that the central bank remains 
committed to fostering an environment conducive to sustainable industrial 
growth while managing inflationary pressures.

The meeting was attended, among others, by DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev 
H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman and members of the DCCI Board 
of Directors alongside senior officials of Bangladesh Bank.