FROM PAGE 2

“Prosperity Dialogue: Strengthening Thoughts for Industry and Trade of Bangladesh”, organised by the party at a city hotel last night.

A large number of trade body leaders, businessmen, exporters, and importers attended the dialogue, which the party said was aimed at outlining its political pledges to the business community.

Responding to the demands, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman assured the business community that if his party comes to power, it will provide policy support, dismantle bureaucratic red tape, and improve the ease of doing business.

He also said Jamaat would reduce working hours for female workers from eight to five hours a day “to honour them as they also have to bear children”, adding that the government would compensate factory owners for the reduced working hours.

He further pledged to improve the law and order situation if Jamaat wins the polls.

In his speech, AK Azad, vice-president of the International Chamber of Commerce–Bangladesh (ICC-B), said a renowned denim mill owner became a loan defaulter after low gas pressure had prevented his plant from producing goods.

“He now has to repay a large bank loan by selling his house in a posh area of Dhaka. But he cannot even sell the house because there are no buyers,” Azad said, adding that the businessman is currently suffering.

He also stressed the need to improve law and order and give ministers more freedom to work.