Why do you believe that the BGMEA members will elect you as president?
If you look at our panel, you can see that we have formed the Sammilito Parishad with a mix of some experienced and fresh entrepreneurs.
Our members are very well informed about us and they believe that we are capable enough to serve their purposes.
We have worked a lot for the last three years, and I believe that members will again elect us as the reward of our work and dedication.
What will you do for the industry if elected as BGMEA president?
If we win, we will work to adjust fair prices for the products.
We have hiked the minimum wage but are yet to get fair prices. Moreover, the cost of production has also hiked in the last five years. We will work to ensure fair prices.
Due to the post-Covid situation and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, the global economy is passing through a challenging time. Along with global challenges, there are some domestic challenges too including issues of gas, energy, harassment and corruption in the NBR, ports, and customs. We will work to eradicate it and increase ease of doing business.
The next 3-4 years are most important for us (Bangladesh), and we need to work hand in hand with businesses and the government. I will urge the government to continue cash incentives, reduce source tax to 0.5%, fix special interest rates for export-oriented sectors and ensure uninterrupted gas and energy supply.
What is your plan regarding the expansion to new markets?
New markets and traditional markets both are important for us. We will work to sustain the growth in traditional markets and expand to new destinations for our RMG products.
If we can expand exports to our new destinations, it will help us reduce overreliance on traditional markets and increase our bargaining capacity as new markets will emerge as an option.
Moreover, we will work hard to remove the hurdles in producing high value products and sustainable products. Our journey towards a green, safe, and eco-friendly RMG sector will continue.
Besides finding new markets, we will also work to diversify our products too.
It has long been a problem for customs and NBR officers to harass businesses. What is your opinion on this, and what kind of policies are you going to implement to fix it?
Neither NBR nor the customs officers ever challenged our claim. They consistently advised us to submit proof, which we did. Although some action has been taken, those are not enough. We are always ready to pay the government.
We acknowledge that some bond licences have been misused. However, how many customs officers are working on that? It can take 3-4 weeks for them to grant clearance once they seize a shipment for examination.
To avoid the hassle, businesses are forced to pay “speed” money. In this case, it is neither beneficial for the government nor businesses.
I will work on this and work with the government to ease consignment release from ports. There are many issues with HS Codes, which I will try to resolve.
I am always ready to work for improving ease of doing business in the country, with the Finance Ministry and other relevant authorities.
What is your message to the BGMEA members?
Apart from working with BGMEA for almost 20 years, I've been a politician. Furthermore, a sizable portion of former BGMEA leaders is currently in politics and serving as ministers, members of parliament, or mayors.
Politics and business work hand in hand because the government wants employment and economic growth and businesses require support from policies.
My panel has nominated me as a panel leader and continues to have faith in my ability to handle the difficulties ahead.
I will also work on gas, electricity and creating a skilled workforce in the RMG industry.
Moreover, if we win the election, I will work with everyone from both panels for the industry's wellbeing.
