STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman yesterday assured business leaders that the export development fund (EDF) may be gradually expanded to $5 billion, according to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

The assurance came during a meeting held at the central bank in Dhaka with FBCCI leaders, said Md Alamgir, secretary general of the apex business body, after the meeting.

Alamgir told journalists that the EDF, formed from foreign exchange reserves to support exporters, once stood at $7 billion but has now declined to around $2.2 billion.

Business leaders urged the central bank to raise the fund to $5 billion, and the governor responded positively, assuring that the amount would be increased in phases, he added.

On lending rates, Alamgir said business leaders stressed the need to keep interest rates stable to encourage investment and maintain industrial competitiveness.

They also recommended gradually bringing lending rates down to single digits.

The business leaders further urged the central bank to increase credit flow to the private sector, saying financing should be directed more towards productive sectors by reducing pressure from public-sector borrowing.

Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the proposal to expand the EDF had received the governor’s agreement.

“The fund was reduced because of IMF-related conditions. We have proposed raising it from around $2.5 billion to $5 billion first, and later to $8 billion,” Hatem said.

He added that business leaders also sought relaxation in loan classification rules.

At present, borrowers are classified as defaulters if they fail to repay loans for three months.