Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus addressed the nation this evening. Photo: PID

DHAKA, March 25, 2025 (BSS) – Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus today said that discipline has been restored in the country’s economy from a devastated one while it has been one of the very important attainments of the interim government.

“Confidence has been restored in the banking system. As a result of this, discipline has been restored in the economy while it was very much important among the attainments of the interim government,” he said.

The chief adviser said this in his address before the nation today on the eve of the Independence Day and the ensuing Holy Eid-ul-Fitr highlighting the major successes of the interim government in the various economic fronts and the steps towards cementing further the economic arena.

Extending warm greetings to the countrymen ahead of the Holy Eid-ul-Fitr, he said that the current interim government has taken strong measures to control the prices of essentials as the big challenges during the Holy Month of Ramadan and before the Eid-ul-Fitr was reining in the prices of essentials and thus ensuring the power supply.

“We’ve tried our best so that the price of any product doesn’t increase during this Ramadan and there is no interruption in the power supply,” he said.

Mentioning that his government has taken all sorts of measures to strongly overcome the hurdles in the supply chain during this Holy Month, Prof Yunus said news have already come from all corners of the country that the commodity prices remained less during this Ramadan compared to the past while people also got comfort. “This effort will continue to control commodity prices,” he added. 

The chief adviser said that the countrymen were the victims of the unabated looting and plundering by Sheikh Hasina over the last 16 years while she had left a devastated economy before fleeing in the face of a student-led mass uprising. “After taking charge, the interim government had taken various steps to recover the economy,” he said. 

Noting that discipline has been restored in the banking sector side by side other macroeconomic indicators have started to come into positive trend, he said that the biggest challenge of this government is inflation.

“The general point to point inflation came down at 9.32 percent in February which was the lowest in 22 months while I hope that inflation will come down below 8 percent by next June,” he added.

Mentioning that the expatriate Bangladeshis have brought comfort into the devastated economy, Dr Yunus said that the inward remittance flow reached into a record height of around $2.5 billion in February last with an increase of 25 percent.

Terming the remittance fighters as the ‘valiant soldiers’ for building the country’s economy, the chief adviser said they have also taken measures so that the expatriate workers do not face harassment while the concerned Bangladesh embassies and missions abroad work properly.

He also informed that work is on so that the expatriates can exercise their voting rights in the next election.

Alleging that the previous AL regime had transformed the fund of the depositors as their own fund, he mentioned that one of the main acts of the interim government was to restore confidence in the banking sector, restoring discipline through protecting the interests of the depositors, and thus restoring credibility in the accounting system and papers.

Reiterating that around $234 billion were laundered abroad over the last 15 years of the AL regime, Dr Yunus said that a method of money laundering has stunned all as an individual sent tuition fee of around Taka 400 crore abroad for bearing the three-month educational expenses of a semester of his child through official banking channel.

“I don’t think there is any such stunning method or level of money laundering. When there is massive plundering in rule of law, rules and policies, then such things are possible. International efforts have already been strengthened to bring the money launderers to book in a speedy manner,” he said. 

Turning to the issue of investment, the chief adviser said that the foreign leading investors of different countries are very much interested to invest in Bangladesh under the current arrangements. “Hopefully, you’ll be able to see fresh foreign investment in the country in the fastest possible time,” he said. 

After assumption of office, he said that the export earnings have increased by 13 percent while the container handling has increased by 7 percent in January last.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has already initiated works to resolve the problems regarding licensing requirements, repatriation act and other general issues of the investors.

Referring to the four-day International Investment Summit to be held in the country next month, the Chief Adviser said that many globally acclaimed investors would take part in it.

He said that DP World, Singapore PSA, AP Moller Maersk have already proposed to invest billions of dollars.

Dr Yunus said that after taking charge, the global leaders and the heads of governments, have continued to show increasing interest to stand beside the interim government in various forums and conferences.

In this regard, he mentioned his participation at the UN General Assembly in last September, Davos of Switzerland in January last and his visit to the UAE.

He said that the UAE has assured Bangladesh of reopening the visa procedures after completing all the formalities in their part. “I hope that it will be opened very soon,” he added. 

Dr Yunus said that following Bangladesh’s proposal, the UAE has expressed their interest to set up an industrial zone in Bangladesh.

He said that they would set up a factory for processing halal meat as well as set up a factory for processing fishes. Besides, he said the UAE has also expressed interest to operate a new seaport in Bangladesh.

The chief adviser said that it was one of their major goals to take Bangladesh into a unique height in the global stage. “In this regard, we’ve already expressed our interest to join as a member of ASEAN. Malaysia took over the charge of chairman at the beginning of this year… Malaysian Prime Minister has supported our petition and also invited me to tour Malaysia. I accepted the invitation,” he added.