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DHAKA, Jan 18, 2025 (BSS) - Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin today said that the July-August uprising took place in the country last year as massive inequality grew during the past regime, suggesting that such inequality and discrimination should be eliminated through prudent policies.

"Those who laid down their lives during the uprising had made the maximum sacrifices while the responsibility is now on us to appropriately conceptualize...on behalf of the current government, we should build the moral references to our successors to follow. Hopefully, we will see a new Bangladesh," he said.

The Commerce Adviser was addressing the Session-1 (Issues Concerning Economic Management) of a symposium on "White Paper and Thereafter: Economic Management, Reforms and National Budget" as a guest of honour, organized by the White Paper Committee 2024 in collaboration with Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh" at BICC in the capital.

Moderated by Chair of White Paper Committee 2024 and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun also spoke on the occasion as a guest of honour.

Former lead economist of World Bank, Bangladesh Dr Zahid Hussain, Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Kazi Iqbal, Dhaka University Prof and Executive Director of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) Dr Mohammed Abu Eusuf and CEO of Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) Ferdous Ara Begum made separate power-point presentations.

Former NBR member and member of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee Md Farid Uddin, Senior Economic Advisor of UNDP, Bangladesh Owais Parray, Chairman and CEO of Policy Exchange Bangladesh Dr M Masrur Reaz, President of Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Zaved Akhtar, Managing Director of Apex Footwear Limited Syed Nasim Manzoor, Pro VC of Dhaka University Dr Sayema Haque Bidisha, and Spokesperson of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Umame Fatima spoke on the occasion.

More to follow...