About 1 to 1.2 lakh foreigners holding mid-level jobs in Bangladesh are taking away around 10 billion dollars from the country every year, said Sheikh Fazle Fahim, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). “FBCCI is going to open a university in the country with the assistance of University of Toronto to improve the skill of the country’s professionals for working at mid level in a bid to keep this money in the country,” he said during a discussion with senior journalist at a hotel in the capital yesterday. “We are going to

have a MOU with Toronto University very soon to skill up our young talents. Our mission is to give modern education to our young to keep the job in their hands,” the FBCCI president said. He said if the bank interest rates came down to single digit the move will bring benefits for the investors to increase investment.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been requesting the banks for the last one year to reduce the bank interest rate. But they increased the bank interest rate 1 to 1.5 percent instead of reducing,” he said.

He said while the banks have failed to keep their promise to bring down interest rates to single digits, they have increased lending rates.

“To bring down the bank interest rate we are working with the government,” he said.

During the discussion, Md Siddiqur Rahman, vice-president of FBCCI and other leaders of federation were present.