Terror attack won't impact business: Tofail

The recent terror attack on foreigners will not have any bad impact on the economy as the international business community has no plans to leave Bangladesh, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said yesterday.

Ahmed is scheduled to hold a meeting with top businessmen today at the commerce ministry to discuss the current security situation.

He spoke to reporters after a meeting with the deputy commissioners at the four-day DC Conference at the secretariat in Dhaka.

Ahmed instructed the DCs to build anti-terrorist unity in each district by involving ordinary people across the country so that no militancy can thrive.

The news reports of foreigners leaving the country and not returning for the terror attacks is not true, he said.

The fact is that foreigners travel and go on holiday in July and August, and as a result, fewer foreigners come here in these two months, according to the minister.

“Nevertheless, the security measures taken by the government are appreciated and are helping to restore confidence among the businessmen and foreigners,” the minister said.

The killing of nine militants at Kalyanpur on Tuesday also helped restore confidence, he added. “So far, we have not received any negative message from any foreign businessman or company.” Meanwhile, the business community at the district level is not worried at all, as the law and order situation is normal, he said.

On the sudden death of Hassan Khaled, president of Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ahmed said it is shocking, but the cause is yet to be known.

“The members of the law-enforcement agencies are quite active in ensuring that incidents like the one at Holey Artisan do not happen again. I am hopeful that such killing incidents will stop in the country very soon,” said the minister. “I also instructed the DCs not to allow any multilevel marketing company at the district level as many people have become victims of fraud by depositing money with those companies,” Ahmed said.

The ministry is not permitting any new MLM company and the existing companies are doing business on a limited scale, he said.

The minister also asked the DCs to promote a specific iconic product in each district as the government is working to diversify the export items under the slogan 'one district, one product'.

“Our export earnings have been increasing every year but we need to export non-traditional products like jute and jute products as well,” he said.

Bangladesh has already set a target to export products worth $60 billion, and apparel worth $50 billion in particular, by the end of 2021. Last fiscal year, Bangladesh exported goods worth more than $34 billion.

The minister suggested the DCs curb food adulteration at the district level; the government has already recruited officials in 481 upazillas to continue drives against food adulteration.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu asked the DCs to cancel the allocation of unused Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation industrial plots.

“I asked the DCs to allocate those plots to the new entrepreneurs.”