Tune economy to people's needs, root out graft: Seminar told

Saiful Huq, GS, Biplabi Workers Party addressing a discussion meeting on Frazile Economy left by Sheikh Hasina, challenges and overcoming those on Satruday.

Speakers at a discussion meeting in Dhaka on Saturday underlined the need for tuning the economy to the needs of the people by doing away with corruption and projects that undermine self reliance and sustainable development.

The discussion meeting titled, Fragile economy left by Sheikh Hasina; challenges and overcoming those, was organized by the Bangladesh Policy Discourse at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

Speakers said that energy security of the country was compromised, so was the question of sovereighty in economic spheres and these aspects should be taken well care to restore a self-reliant economic system.

Kazi Reaz, member Hizbut Tahrir presented a paper at the meeting which was addressed by Habib Anwar Pasha, Col Abdul Haque (retd), Enamul Haq Latifi, Helaluddin Tarafdar, Saiful Huq, GS, Biplabi Workers Party, Iktedar Ahmed, ex district judge and ex registrar, Bangladesh Supreme Court, Advocate Munir Hossain, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, editor, GreenWatch Dhaka, Major Mizanur Rahman (retd), member, EC BNP and Tarek Rahman, Gono Odhikar Parishad.

Kazi Reaz identified some challenges facing the economy and ways to their solution. 

Enamul Huq Latifi made a plea for establishing an asset-based exonomy in place of a credit-based economy and said given honesty and patriotism the people of the country can be on their own in a matter of three years.

Saiful Huq said improvement of the macroeconomic situation in a matter of two months spoke of the patriotism of those at it. He called for doing away with quick rental indemnity and control over the import of luxuries and suggested the country should not be in the cycle of debt from World Bank and IMF.

Iktedar Ahmed made an incisive critique of the Banking system under the control sponsor directors instead of the depositors who made the bulk of their capital resources. Corruption should be severely dealt with to build a healthy economy, he said.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said the the recent fall in the value of the Dollar in the kerb market spoke of success in the macro economic management and that there are the cpable people of ensuring this with honesty and patriotism. This was possible by leaving things to market forces to decide instead of artificial intervention from the central bank. The prime task was now reorient an oligarchy-based and politicised economy to a sustainable economy of the whole people where no one will be left behind.

Major Mizanur Rahman (retd) advocated for the introduction of capital punishment for corruption and said that all default loans of banks should be realised, however ensuring that no industrial unit has to be closed down in the process. – GreenWatch News Desk