Save businesses from loan defaulter status amid economic hardship: FBCCI to PM

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has brought to the prime minister's attention the need to ensure that businessmen are not classified as defaulters due to their inability to repay loans in "difficult circumstances" amid the disruption of economic activities.

Mahbubul Alam, president of the apex body of businessmen in the country, made the appeal when the new leadership of the FBCCI called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban on Wednesday, according to a press release.

He mentioned that due to the current situation, production on the part of businessmen and entrepreneurs has been disrupted and yet they are required to repay their loans on time.

Advocating for the facilitation of opening letters of credit related to production, he emphasised the significance of issuing LCs for both domestic and export industries, even in the face of restricted imports, to address the dollar crisis. Additionally, he recommended coordination between monetary and fiscal policies to manage the current high inflation.

The business leader addressed the prime minister regarding the issue of an inconsistent gas supply, stating, "Production is being disrupted due to a non-continuous gas supply. We had agreed to an increase in gas prices on condition of receiving an uninterrupted gas supply. However, we are receiving complaints that uninterrupted gas is not available in many cases, despite the increase in gas prices. Consequently, the cost of doing business is on the rise."

He also urged the government to take steps to control the increase in prices of daily essential products during the upcoming Ramadan and to ensure proper imports based on demand forecasts.

The FBCCI president said, "Immediate measures are required to regulate the prices of onions, chickpeas, edible oil, potatoes, eggplants, gram, flour, sugar, and dates throughout the month of Ramadan."

Present on the occasion were Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Advisor Salman F Rahman as well as the newly elected office bearers of the FBCCI, including Senior Vice President Md Amin Helaly, Vice Presidents Munir Hossain, Khairul Huda Chopol, Mohammad Anwar Sadat Sarker and Joshoda Jibon Debnath.

Govt can't be ousted by killing people: PM Hasina

During the meeting with the FBCCI leaders, the prime minister said the BNP can't oust her government by resorting to killings and destructive activities, reports UNB.

"They can't oust the government by killing people. What kind of politics do they do?" she said, slamming the opposition BNP for its destructive activities.

Referring to the train accident that occurred due to an uprooted rail track in Gazipur, she said some 20 feet of rail tracks were removed by a gas cutter machine at Sreepur upazila in Gazipur at about 4:30am on Wednesday.

BNP terrorists did the same thing on several occasions in the past, she said, adding that eight bogies of the Mahogany Express coming from Netrokona got derailed in Gazipur, leaving a man dead and several others injured.