Dhaka: Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today announced that Bangladesh’s economy has experienced a significant turnaround, characterized by strengthened foreign currency reserves and renewed confidence among traders. ‘The government is implementing several measures to give a boost to the economy,’ he stated during his speech as the chief guest at a discussion commemorating the ‘July Uprising Day’ at the central bank headquarters.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek and BB Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur participated as special guests in the discussion, while BB Deputy Governor Md Zakir Hossain Chowdhury presided over the event. Dr Salehuddin highlighted the ‘July Uprising’ as a challenging period, paying tribute to the martyrs and wishing the injured a swift recovery, emphasizing that the sacrifices of students and common people will be remembered.
Dr Ahsan H Mansur stated that the government is actively working to reduce the general point-to-point inflation rate to between 3 and 5 percent. ‘Our aims are to bring inflation down to 3 to 5 percent. I hope it is possible. We’re implementing different policy measures to this end,’ he expressed. However, he noted that inflation has not decreased to the anticipated level, despite the implementation of fiscal measures to control domestic borrowings.
Addressing the autonomy of Bangladesh Bank, the governor expressed the desire to transform the central bank into a fully autonomous institution free from government influence. ‘We want to reshape focus of the BB. We’ll leave the activities that are not core central banking. We’ll give utmost priority to issues linked with compliance, regulations and enforcement,’ he stated. He added that if autonomy is achieved, it will change the landscape of the country’s financial sector, acknowledging that while they may not remain in their positions, they are committed to implementing these changes.