‘Resurgent Bangladesh’ launched to help private sector recover

Resurgent Bangladesh, an initiative to help the country recover its private sector's dynamism from Covid-19-induced economic shocks, was jointly launched on Tuesday by four leading business organisations and a private sector economic policy think tank.

These institutions are the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD), and Policy Exchange, said a press release from the DCCI.

The initiative seeks to help overall economic recovery in Bangladesh by systematically assessing the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on the private sector, and developing recovery strategies for key economic themes.

It also aims to provide organised, evidence-based, and actionable input or recommendations to the Government of Bangladesh for preparation of a national economic recovery strategy.

Resurgent Bangladesh wants to facilitate public-private dialogue on necessary government policy actions for stimulating private sector recovery, including input into the budgetary process, said the press release.

It also wants to enable the voices of smaller and individual firms regarding their challenges arising from Covid-19.

The platform will help stimulate resurgence of private sector dynamism by undertaking advocacy and policy dialogue initially on seven particular economic themes, which are: manufacturing, services, international trade/exports, SMEs, financial sector, private investment, and agriculture.

The work will be carried out under the guidance of a  steering committee comprising of the adviser of the Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association Syed Nasim Manzur, president of MCCI Nihad Kabir, president of DCCI Shams Mahmud, chairman of  BUILD Abul Kasem Khan, chairman of CSE Asif Ibrahim, and chairman of  Policy Exchange Dr Masrur Reaz.

Policy Exchange will work as the technical secretariat while Deloitte and several other international institutions will provide support as knowledge partners.