Reform delays hurting investment climate: DCCI

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on Tuesday called for swift structural reforms to revive investor confidence and drive private sector-led growth. The chamber warned that policy uncertainty, high operating costs and structural bottlenecks continue to undermine economic momentum.

At the chamber’s 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the DCCI Auditorium, business leaders urged the government to prioritise trade and investment reforms, automate revenue administration, strengthen logistics and supply chains, expand access to low-cost financing, ensure uninterrupted energy supply to industries and stabilise the law-and-order situation, according to a press release. 

Presiding over the meeting, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said the economy in 2025 remained under strain from geopolitical tensions, higher tariffs, contractionary monetary policy, weak private investment, prolonged inflation and a persistent energy crisis, compounded by political uncertainty and law-and-order challenges.
He said recent government measures had brought some relief but stressed that a durable recovery would require strong political will, sound governance and effective policy implementation.

Highlighting DCCI’s activities, he said the chamber organised 31 sector-based seminars, policy dialogues and workshops and held 35 meetings with domestic and international policymakers during the year to ease regulatory barriers and improve the business climate.

Taskeen also announced the launch of the Economic Position Index (EPI), a quarterly indicator designed to track economic activity in the manufacturing and services sectors and support data-driven policymaking.
On trade expansion, he said DCCI led seven outbound trade delegations in 2025 to the UAE, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan and signed memoranda of understanding and cooperation with six domestic and foreign trade bodies to strengthen commercial linkages.

Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md Salem Sulaiman, board members, former chamber leaders and representatives of member companies attended the AGM. Former DCCI president Aftab Ul Islam, FCA, and other business leaders also spoke.