DCCI urges uninterrupted gas, power supply to industries

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the government to give top priority to controlling inflation, reducing interest rates, and ensuring energy security through uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to the industrial sector.

The trade body also expressed deep concern over the drop in private sector credit growth to just 5 percent.

DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed highlighted these issues while presenting the keynote paper at a seminar titled "Biannual Economic Situation of FY 2026: Perspective of Revenue, Monetary Policy and Private Sector Expectations" at the DCCI Auditorium in Motijheel today (22 August).

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury attended the event as the chief guest. Executive Chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and BRAC Chairman Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, Policy Research Institute (PRI) Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Mustafizur Rahman, and Transcom Group CEO Simin Rahman were also present.

Presenting the private sector's expectations, Taskeen Ahmed stated that along with controlling inflation, interest rates should be gradually reduced to tolerable levels, noting that rates have recently decreased by 50 basis points.

He emphasised the effective implementation and transparent monitoring of the declared Tk 5,000-crore CMSME support package to ensure easy access to finance for genuine productive entrepreneurs.

The DCCI chief also called for establishing good governance in the banking sector, reducing non-performing loans (NPLs), restoring public trust in the financial sector, and rebuilding business confidence to boost domestic and foreign investment.

Pointing out the divergence in credit flow, he noted that public sector credit growth stood at 25.9 percent, whereas private sector credit growth slumped to a worrying 5 percent.

Taskeen highlighted that global economic growth for 2026 is projected at 3.1 percent, with global trade under pressure due to trade barriers, Middle East crises, supply chain disruptions, rising oil prices, and doubled freight costs.

Outlining budget initiatives, he noted positive reform steps for ease of doing business, including digitising company registration to complete within 48 hours, extending bonded warehouse facilities for leather, footwear, and home textile sectors by three years, and bringing 10 new sectors under duty-free facilities.

The DCCI president also stressed accelerating automation in tax management, expediting customs clearance, and signing Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) ahead of LDC graduation.

Regarding the CMSME sector, he revealed that actual credit flow stands at only 16.8 percent against the target of 25 percent, while NPLs in the sector have risen to 24.1 percent due to increased operational costs. He suggested introducing digital credit scoring over collateral-based lending and forming a special fund for affordable machinery purchases.

To tackle the energy crisis, the DCCI proposed low-interest loans for small and marginal farmers to invest in solar-powered irrigation, reviewing power purchase agreements to reduce subsidy burdens, and diversifying energy import sources alongside intensifying offshore gas exploration with local and foreign investors.