Experts for boosting private investment to achieve SDGs
BSS
Experts in Khulna yesterday suggested boosting private investment and setting up echo friendly industries to enhance countrys GDP and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reports BSS.
They made the suggestion at a view exchange meeting on Private Sector Investment and SDG Achievement held at the deputy commissioners (DC) conference room with DC Amin-ul-Ahsan in the chair.
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) organised the meeting aiming to boost private investments to ensure countrys development and attain SDGs to make Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
BIDA Director (joint secretary) Niranjon Kumar Mondal addressed the meeting as chief guest while BIDA Deputy Director (deputy secretary) Dr Sanjoy Chakroborty made a power point presentation and conducted the meeting.
Businessmen, Entrepre-neurs, Industrialists, Directors of Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCCI), upazila chairman, other stakeholders and leaders of different professional bodies, among others, took part in the meeting.
The chief guest urged the businessmen and entrepreneurs, including women, to increase investments in countrys south-western zone as, saying that this area is very potential for private investment. He assured that the government would extend all support and cooperation to entrepreneurs to enhance trade and investment in Bangladesh.
In his power point presentation, Dr Sanjoy Chakroborty said that Bangladesh could provide a low cost production base in several sectors like agro-based industries, food processing and preservation, development of poultry, dairy, fisheries and live stock, light engineering industries, shipyard, garments, leather, rubber based industries, textiles, gas-based industries, and infrastructure development.
Among these, he highlighted the vast potentials of investment in the agriculture sector where investors may come in a big way in agro processing industries.
Referring to the governments nine mega projects, he viewed that Mongla and Paira ports, Padma Bridge, Rampal Power Plant, Dhaka-Jessore and Khulna-Mongla Railway projects can help enhance investment in the southwestern zone.
He suggested investors should set up industries and factories near Mongla and Paira ports to lower production cost.
Gas and electricity are of urgent need for industrialisation, he said and stressed the need for industrial policy soon to avoid administrative complications and ensure easy loan facilities, infrastructures to boost private investment.
