Business Desk:
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that the main problems of the country’s businessmen are insecurity of funds, lack of protection of assets and lack of adequate state patronage. Added to this is the complexity of red tape, which has become a major obstacle to the development of business and industry.
He said these things as the chief guest in his speech at a view-sharing meeting titled ‘Dialogue for Prosperity: Strategic Thinking for Bangladesh’s Industry and Trade’ organized at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (January 29, 2026). More than a hundred businessmen and diplomatic representatives from different countries, including Bangladesh, participated in the program.
Addressing the businessmen, the Jamaat Ameer said, “You ensure the livelihood of millions of people. Therefore, it is the state’s responsibility to protect you. Business and industry must be nurtured like children.” He further said that if the money illegally smuggled abroad is brought back to the country with dignity, the state will give more respect to the person concerned. The purpose of this is not to insult anyone, but to ensure the welfare of the nation.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “If we form the government, we will call for the illegal money to be brought back to the country. Those who return the money with dignity, the state will give dignity to them.”
Highlighting the close financial relationship between the banking sector and the stock market, he said that he got the opportunity to analyze these two sectors together through his personal experience. “At one time, the economy of Bangladesh was fairly healthy. But later, one crisis after another arose—the stock market faced challenges, and the banking sector also faced a crisis,” he said.
Stressing on the need to develop three sectors in parallel for the overall development of the country, the Jamaat Amir said that the most important of these is human resource development or human industry. “No industry can be run effectively if human resources are not properly developed. No businessman can be harmed if these four factors – talent, ability, intellectual capacity and hard work – are combined,” he added.
Mentioning four factors as essential for business success in the light of personal experience, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that in business, there must be genuine intention, the objective must be honest and fair. Along with this, there must be minimum knowledge and technical concept about the relevant business, the mentality and courage to turn around in a crisis. He also commented that it is not enough to just sit in the office as an owner, but one must actively involve oneself in the work.
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, AK Azad and Md. Jasim Uddin, President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries Anwar Ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, Chairman and Managing Director of Meghna Group of Industries Mustafa Kamal, Former President of BKMEA Fazlul Haque, President of BARVIDA Abdul Haque and leaders of various business organizations were present.
Professor AKM Warsul Karim, School of Business and Economics, North South University, presented a keynote speech on ‘Formulating Business-Friendly Economic Policies for Bangladesh’ at the event.
In addition, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher and other leaders of the party were also present at the meeting.
