Dhaka: The 16th meeting of the Private Sector Development Policy Coordination Committee (PSDPCC) convened at the Prime Minister’s Office, chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar. The meeting, attended by key government officials and private sector representatives, underscored the urgency of advancing reforms previously proposed and strengthening the Committee’s role in formulating new reform proposals for governmental consideration, according to a press release issued today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Principal Secretary highlighted the necessity of thorough pre-work and preparatory analysis on reforms prior to their presentation at higher levels, which could expedite decision-making processes. Additionally, he suggested that the Committee’s membership might benefit from the inclusion of new members with pertinent expertise.
Dr. Ahmedullah, Director General of the PMO, provided a recap of PSDPCC’s proceedings, noting that the last meeting occurred on October 25, 2025. The Principal Secretary stressed the importance of increasing the frequency of meetings to tackle issues of deregulation, regulatory simplification, and reducing the cost of doing business.
Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder recognized BUILD’s contributions as a Public-Private Dialogue platform, emphasizing that while recommendations are crafted via PPD, their implementation lies with respective government bodies. Ahsan Habib, Acting Chairman of NBR, informed participants that partial exporter import provisions are included in the proposed Import Policy and that a Free Trade Zone will facilitate input procurement for partial exporters. He further clarified that the income tax in question is an Advance Income Tax adjustable through final returns, with NBR working on automating tax refunds.
Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO of BUILD, presented on PSDPCC’s significance and activities, focusing on deregulation, business facilitation, and an analysis of the eight reform pillars under the national budget for FY27. Abul Kasem Khan, Chairperson of BUILD, elaborated on the recommendations, asserting that they assess international best practices and business constraints, with implementation potentially accelerated through dynamic platform engagement and well-prepared recommendations submitted to the Prime Minister-chaired Committee.
The leather sector and the draft Export Roadmap prepared by BUILD were notable discussion points. Md. Nurruzzaman, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Industries, acknowledged CETP design flaws, noting that an Italian consultant and a Dhaka University expert are investigating the issue for reporting. Full compliance for Leather Working Group certification was emphasized, despite substantial investment requirements. Dr. Fahmida Khanam, Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, discussed Tannery Solid Waste management, identifying chrome separation as a challenge and suggesting that Bangladesh could explore commercial waste utilization models.
Solar energy was another focal point, with Kazi Emdadul Haque, Director General of BSTI, reporting the development of standards for 39 solar products and proposing four products for the Import Policy 2026-2029. Md. Sabur Hossein, Additional Secretary of the Energy Division, requested policy support for domestic solar producers.
The Principal Secretary encouraged overcoming certification hurdles, highlighted Pakistan’s solar power advancements, and urged private sector engagement in duty-free solar accessories and potential railway sector participation. Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, highlighted the development of payment aggregator platform EkPay under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024, with encouragement for private platforms.
In conclusion, the Principal Secretary recommended the introduction of a five-year, fully digitalized trade license with a simplified tax rate based on business size and requested a follow-up PSDPCC meeting in three months to assess progress. The meeting concluded with a commitment to eliminate regulatory barriers, reduce business costs, and enhance the investment climate in anticipation of LDC graduation.