Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has said that he had to stand in the rain in front of the residence of the former state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu to get the gas connection.
He said that during the previous Awami League government, the business and energy sectors of the country were in a state of chaos. At that time, businesspeople were not respected. However, the situation has changed now.
He shared these views on Saturday at a seminar organized by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The seminar was titled "Solutions for Energy Crisis in the Country's Industrial Sector."
The chief guest at the event was Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, and Sheikh Bashir Uddin was a special guest.
Top business leaders and industrialists were also present.
During the seminar, Sheikh Bashir Uddin recounted his bitter experience with gas connections during the previous government.
He said: "I went to the former Energy Minister (State Minister). I was standing in the rain in front of his house as if I were asking for a job. The reason was that, despite investing so much money (in setting up an industrial unit), I couldn't get a gas connection. At that time, getting a gas connection felt like getting a bank registration."
He further said: "Anyway, standing in the rain, I finally had a chance to meet the State Minister. After that, I heard many lectures from him. But I couldn't agree with everything; it didn't match my knowledge. Still, I tried to listen because I had no other option. As a businessman, I didn’t receive the minimum respect I expected at that time."
"I even had to pay bribes to pay that Tk20 crore bribe”
He then addressed the business community, saying: "Now, you have the proper environment and respect. Come forward. The government alone cannot do everything. Use your own money for your benefit. In the past, we gave so much money to the powerful, I can't even account for it. Now, you won't need to give money to anyone. You can use it for your work. Now is the opportunity, so make use of it."
The adviser also commented that under the previous Awami League government, the country had reached the peak of anarchy.
"In the past, we went through a situation of impunity, crony capitalism, and one-sided environments, where the safety of our children was not guaranteed," he said.
He further said: "We had to measure our words, and despite our reluctance, we had to praise the influential people under immense pressure. We had to listen to and believe narratives that made us feel hurt. Our acquired knowledge seemed irrelevant."
Referring to the energy sector as a hotspot for corruption, the Adviser mentioned: "After joining the interim government, I have learned about some financial criminals. After learning about them, I feel like I want to scan their brains to understand how they can be so criminal."
He pointed out that the current weaknesses in the energy sector are not accidents, but the result of deliberate planning.
"However, the present interim government does not deny reality. Therefore, we hope to move towards possible solutions to existing problems," he said, requesting the cooperation of the business community.