Govt creating favorable environment to attract foreign investment: Zabihullah

Prime Minister's Public Administration Adviser Md Ismail Zabihullah today said the government is creating a favorable environment for foreign investment as part of its ongoing efforts to rebuild the country and implement economic reforms.

"Attracting foreign investment and strengthening the country's economic foundation have been made among the government's top priorities in its new journey," he said.

He told a view-exchange meeting organised by Malaysia BNP and its affiliated and associate organisations in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, according to a press release received here today.

Zabihullah, also a BNP Standing Committee member, called upon Malaysian investors, expatriate Bangladeshi businessmen, successful entrepreneurs and new investors to make substantial investments in Bangladesh.

The government, he said, would extend all-out cooperation to the strong Bangladeshi business community and young entrepreneurs based in Malaysia so that they can participate in new economic activities and expand their investments in Bangladesh.

More than 1.5 million Bangladeshis are currently working in Malaysia, he said, adding that their knowledge, experience and skills could play an important role in the country's development.

The adviser particularly urged expatriate Bangladeshis with expertise in different fields to return home and contribute to the country's development activities.

He said the journey of manpower export from Bangladesh began through the initiative of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman to send skilled workers to the Middle East. Currently, more than 10 million Bangladeshis are working in different countries across the world, he added.

"Their hard work and remittances play an important role in keeping the country's economy moving," Zabihullah said, adding that remittances are one of the major driving forces of the economy.

He said it is the government's responsibility to properly recognise the contributions and sacrifices of expatriate Bangladeshis and ensure their welfare.

Zabihullah further said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has taken an initiative to launch a "Probashi Card" to strengthen and institutionalise the relationship between the state and expatriate Bangladeshis.

The government has also taken various initiatives to reduce harassment of expatriates at airports and ensure easier, safer and more dignified services for them, he said.

The adviser said initiatives have also been taken to create separate housing and investment opportunities for expatriates. The activities will begin in Sylhet and gradually be expanded to other parts of the country, he added.

He said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is working to build a modern, efficient and people-friendly Bangladesh.

To this end, opportunities will be created for expatriates to invest more easily and for young people to access world-class education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in their own country, he said.

Zabihullah said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has a vision of transforming Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. The investments, talent and experience of expatriate Bangladeshis will play an important role in achieving the goal, he added.

At the meeting, representatives of academia, researchers, technologists and women entrepreneurs based in Malaysia, along with leaders of various BNP-affiliated and associate organisations, highlighted different problems and expectations of expatriate Bangladeshis.

They urged the government to take effective measures to improve employment and working conditions for Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, simplify passport and other consular services, and address issues concerning the interests of expatriate Bangladeshis.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manzurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, Malaysia BNP President Engineer Badlur Rahman Badal, Senior Vice-President Md Mahbub Alam Shah and General Secretary Md Mosharraf Hossain, among others, spoke at the meeting.