Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, the Adviser for Finance, Commerce, and Science & Technology in the interim government, emphasized that the sole agenda is the country’s welfare, with no personal interests involved. “We are committed to fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted to us by the public,” he stated on Monday (11 November, 2024) at the Third Bangladesh Economic Conference, organized by Bonik Barta at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. The theme of the conference was “Addressing Inequality, Financial Crimes, and Healing Bangladesh’s Economy.”
Dr. Ahmed explained that their initiatives are divided into three phases: short-term, medium-term, and long-term. While some medium-term actions can be initiated by the interim government, long-term tasks will be taken up by future administrations. He highlighted the effort to implement essential economic research findings swiftly, especially in banking, revenue, and other regulatory frameworks, to support sustainable development. Rapid decision-making has been necessary, but these steps have been taken with public consensus, he added.
Addressing the topic of inequality, Dr. Ahmed mentioned that Bangladesh faces both visible and hidden disparities, especially in income and wealth distribution. Many people in rural areas remain unaware of government resources available to them, leading to inequity in access to opportunities. Health and education sectors also exhibit significant inequalities. Complex healthcare remains out of reach for impoverished communities, and the quality of education they receive is often inadequate.
He noted that due to a lack of qualified leadership, many organizations in Bangladesh have weakened over time. Non-professional considerations have sometimes influenced appointments, which has impacted institutional efficiency. Additionally, the nation’s systems are yet to achieve the desired level of automation, making the vision of a “Smart” or “Digital Bangladesh” a challenge to fully realize.
The conference was attended by notable figures, including Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan, former Commerce Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, former Adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, and ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong.
