Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said that the country's economy, in general, is not in a bad shape.
Dr Salehuddin made the comment while responding to reporters' questions after chairing two separate meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs and the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
He said: "Perhaps, a section of people may be suffering to some extent, but on the whole, the country’s economy is not in a bad state."
He acknowledged that there might be some slowdown in trade and commerce activities, and people’s sources of income might have been affected to some extent.
"However, it’s not that the economy is on the verge of collapse. Rather, we have managed to recover it from further decline," he said.
He also mentioned that although the pace of new employment generation is somewhat slow, the government is focusing on bringing more infrastructure projects to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
"Additionally, we are working to boost trade and commerce activities," he added.
The finance adviser also shared that a chamber had praised him for directing the Bangladesh Bank to provide more loans to the CMSMEs (Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises).
"I acknowledge that some people are suffering due to the current situation. We are also working to create more income-generating opportunities for the people. We have already revised the ADP, and we will be bringing more projects to the ECNEC," he said.
He emphasized that the government is also trying to create alternative employment opportunities.
Dr Salehuddin, who is also the former central bank governor, assured that cash incentives are still being provided to the RMG (Ready-Made Garment) sector, which, on the whole, remains in a good shape.
When asked about the potential energy crisis during the upcoming summer, he reassured that the government is paying special attention to this sector and is importing LNG to meet the growing demand.
“We are continuously working on this, and we will ensure the supply chain for businesses and the livelihoods of common people,” he said.
Regarding the implementation of projects under the Indian Line of Credit, he said that discussions and reviews are ongoing.
He clarified that delays do not necessarily mean that the projects have come to a halt.
"The projects, regardless of which government framed them, will continue. However, we will review the progress of those projects that have seen minimal utilization, but we do not intend to stop their implementation at this moment," he said.
He also expressed satisfaction with the current market management, given its capacity.
He added: "It could be improved further. If you compare the prices of essentials with the previous year, we must analyze the dynamics."
He also advised all concerned to keep an eye on the inflationary trend, as it may decrease further, just like in previous months.
