BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury today spoke as chief guest at a large gathering of businessman at Chattogram. Photo : BSS

CHATTOGRAM, Dec 22, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury today assured of ensuring transparency and accountability at all level of governance pledging that if voted to power, BNP would attach priority to economic democratization and deregularization side by side of restoring democracy in political arena. 

“We used to familiar with political democracy but now we have decided to bring democratization in all tier of the economy. Core aim of this is to involve all segments of population with mainstream economic network and ensure the economic right of the people” Amir Khasru who is also former Commerce Minister said while speaking as chief guest at a large gathering of businesspeople this morning here. 

Chattogram Divisional Businessmen Forum organized the parlay titled “Business Dialogue” on economy, trade, commerce and investment at a city hotel with ex-Chattogram Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCC&I) President Eng Ali Ahmed in the chair. 

Investors, leading entrepreneurs, trade body leaders from different districts under Ctg administrative division and business segments, a large number of women entrepreneurs participated in the meeting. 

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury in his nearly one hour long speech followed by interactive session has focused on overall state of the economy in the past and current regime as well as illustrated the future policy of BNP for accelerating the economy amid sustainable growth. 

He said each and every sector related with the economy has been over-regulated and BNP would go for serious de-regularization and liberization into the economy under a broad-based reform agenda for easing and cost of doing business. 

“ Over-regulated and conservative economic culture yields benefits for unscrupulous men in both public sector and business circle that resulted in escalating cost of doing business” he observed saying “ We have sincere intention to scrap the power of corrupt nexus and hand over it to genuine businessmen. 

He said BNP has drawn a bundle of policy framework to elevate economy to its real height and size in order bring a balance in the export and GDP ratio which is still in a disproportionate state. 

“Deregulation of economy can only be possible when it can be freed from bureaucratic whirlpool and ensure logical autonomy in spheres of state machinery” he said, adding that there was no alternative of building capacity and professionalism of businessmen to avail the fruits of the liberalized policy. 

Amir Khasru said, “We would adopt such a policy for implementing automation process which can reduce physical contact between bureaucracy and businessmen and investors.” 

Putting importance on increasing port efficiency and customs operation, Amir Khasru said sluggish and over time-consuming port and customs operation are prime barrier in having expected economic growth and increase in FDI flow.  

“Physical inspection of only 2 percent of inward cargo container through software algorithm is enough instead of checking all of those manually. System will detect which container or cargo lot can be brought under physical inspection” he said.  

Terming SME as big contributor of the economy, he said we cannot achieve desired and durable progress of the economy without required growth of SME. 

Besides efforts to promote export of SME products, Amir Khasru said bonded warehouse facilities will be introduced for all export sectors if BNP voted to office.

Amir Khasru said from women entrepreneurs to artisan maker, potters to small weavers in rural areas must be involved with mainstream economic track and their products could yield value addition multiple times if those were exported to international market. 

A triangular partnership among the government, private sector and NGOs was a best option for exploring exiting economic potentials along with promoting innovative ideas for employment generation and foreign currency earning. 

“Trillion dollar economy cannot be achieved if we fail to increase export, draw FDI in a bigger scale and rise remittance inflow from existing 25 billion to 100 billion by improving skills of our manpower” he said laying emphasis on concerted efforts through restoring a conducive democratic atmosphere. 

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, also a front ranking policy maker of BNP, promised to execute, if elected and form next government, serious reforms in capital market for its development and restore confidence of both domestic and foreign investors. 

He said the size of US capital market is double than its GDP while India’s capital market shares 60%-70% of its GDP. 

“We are in a deplorable state. Many foreign managers including Bangladesh origin ones are waiting to invest in Bangladesh capital market if a conducive and transparent atmosphere is restored in country’s stock market,” he said.  

He said BNP believes in true democracy by empowering people, not any group or individual which is core spirit of democracy. 

Leaders of different trade bodies , entrepreneurs and businessmen including former CCC&I vice president M A Salam , former directors Amirul Haque and Syed Md Tanveer,  senior vice president of BGMEA Selim Rahman , vice president of Ship Breakers Association Zahirul Islam Chowdhury, C & F Agents Association President Saiful Alam and general secretary Shawkat Ali, president of Khatungonj Trades Association Mir Abdus Salam , Rangamati Chamber President Mamunur Rashid , Chandpur Chamber Director Manikur Rahman , Bandarban Chamber Director Jasim Uddin , Ctg Junor Chamber President Junayet Ahmed Rahat , Women Chamber Vice President Sultana Nur Jahan Rozy and former BARVIDA vice president Habibur Rahman, among others, took part in the discussion.