President M Abdul Hamid today said politicians should keep in mind that the country is above their respective political parties, says BSS.
"We are failing to keep confidence on each other, disaster takes place when there is lack of confidence," he said while a delegation of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) led by its President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed called on him at Bangabhban this afternoon.
Responding concern of the top business leaders about excessive numbers of recent hartals, the President said enforcement of hartal is a right and in the same way, not observing the hartal is also a right. "It is not possible to ban hartal forcefully and in the same way it is not proper to force anyone to observe hartal," he said.
Referring to recent Rana Plaza collapse incident, the President urged the business community to take proper steps for preventing of such kinds of tragic incidents.
The President said the Rana Plaza incident has created some negative impact on Bangladesh image in the international arena. The Business community along with the government has the responsibility to recover the country's image in this regard, he said.
Acknowledging that interest rate on bank loan is high; the President said both the government and the business community could play role on the issue. "It is difficult to fulfill expectation, when it (expectation) is high," he said.
President Abdul Hamid urged the business community to build a social movement ageist all food adulteration including mixing formalin in food items.
"The number of cancer patients has been increasing in the country due to food adulteration," the President observed.
Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed apprised the President that violence and political insatiability in last several months have affected the country's business.
He sought cooperation of the President to reduce the high interest of the bank loan for sake of the country's business growth. "We, the 35m of businessmen have been working for development of the country," he said.
The FBCCI chief apprised the President that export volume of May this year has been increased by 15 % comparing to the same month of proceeding year.
The FBCCI leaders congratulated Abdul Hamid for becoming the 20th President of the country.
Secretaries concerned of the President office were present.