Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed spoke at the 45th NBR-FBCCI Consultative Committee Meeting for the next national budget of the fiscal 2025-26 held at a hotel in the capital today. Photo : FBCCI

DHAKA, April 30, 2025 (BSS) – Asserting that the government wants to ensure ‘real development’, Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today said that they would continue their strides to flourish trade, commerce, improving the ease of doing business and the business climate.

“We’ll definitely try our best to ensure flourish of the trade and commerce and to improve the ease of doing business and the business climate,” he said.

The Finance Adviser was addressing the 45th consultative committee meeting of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as the chief guest ahead of the budget for the next fiscal year (FY26) held at a hotel in the capital today.

Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin spoke as special guest while Executive Chairman of BEZA and BIDA Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun spoke as the guest of honour.

Presided over by NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Dr Moinul Khan also spoke at the event moderated by FBCCI Administrator Md Hafizur Rahman.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, the Finance Adviser said that the government did not want such narrative of growth like 6 to 7 percent. “But, we want real development as well as there is improvement in the livelihood of common people. We don’t have any more agenda,” he added. 

He went on saying, “If you (business community) cooperate with us, then we’ll …we’re being scolded sometimes, but we don’t mind. If we work, then there may be some flaws, but we’re always open”.

The Finance Adviser said that the main objective of the budget for the next fiscal year (FY26) is that it would be practical, implementable and business friendly. “We hope that the successive government will evaluate the steps that we’ll take …we’ll be mindful, what we say, we’ll try to accomplish that,” he said. 

Dr Salehuddin, also a former central bank governor, said that the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals are now good, while the overall trade and commerce is also in good shape alongside the overall macroeconomic condition. “And we’re now looking forward more to the private sector,” he added. 

Regarding the various concerns from the business community in different sectors, he said that the government is aware of those especially about the practical issues.

In this regard, he said that the government would not be able to change the concerned laws all on a sudden.

Since Bangladesh is already in the process of graduating from the LDCs, Dr Salehuddin said the businessmen should have to be more competitive.

Shedding lights on his recent tour to the USA, the Finance Adviser said apart from the meetings with the World Bank and the IMF teams, he said they also discussed with various departments of the USA like Agriculture, Treasury Department as well as discussed with around 80 representatives from the US businesses.

“We’ll try to consider your recommendations as much as possible, but you’ll have to keep in mind that the era of exemptions and rebate has gone away, in fact I’m in the mood of eliminating most of the exemptions,” he added. 

The Finance Adviser went on saying, “We’re under serious pressure as we’ll have to mobilize more resources, we’ll also need money since we’ll have to give you incentives…giving exemptions and rebate means expenditure as we’ll not get it anymore.”

Highlighting the need for paying due taxes, he said definitely all concerned would get overall benefits through paying taxes while this is the principle for taxation.

He said that during his encounter with the IFC delegation, the IFC was very positive while they shared plan for lending $500 million for the country’s private sector.

He said the Bangladesh delegation had very successful meetings with all the US government agencies.

As per the constitution, he said delivering budget is a requirement. After announcing the budget, he said the government would still try to accommodate the valuable suggestions. “If you (business community) become sympathetic to us, then we’ll also become sympathetic to you.”

Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Dr Moinul Khan said that considering the country’s LDC graduation in November 2026, the domestic revenue mobilization capacity of the government should have to be enhanced.

He said that the government should cut its dependency on mobilizing duties from customs, rather should collect more revenues from income tax and VAT.