মঙ্গলবার, ২১ এপ্রিল ২০২৬, ০৩:৩৫ পূর্বাহ্ন
DHAKA, April 6, 2026 (BSS) – The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) today urged the central bank to address a 22-year low in private sector credit growth, as Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman FCMA signaled a strategic pivot toward the CMSME and agricultural sectors to stabilize the national economy.
The DCCI Board of Directors, led by President Taskeen Ahmed, paid a courtesy call on the Governor at the BB headquarters in Motijheel to discuss the prevailing liquidity crunch and necessary policy interventions, said a press release.
During the meeting, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed apprised the Governor of the deteriorating private sector investment climate, underscoring that credit growth has plummeted to its lowest level in over two decades.
He highlighted that the current monetary environment, characterized by high policy rates and a widening spread, has made financing increasingly expensive and less accessible for manufacturing industries and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
To stimulate recovery, the DCCI advocated for a gradual lowering of the policy rate to reduce borrowing costs. lternatively, the Chamber pressed for the provision of subsidised loans specifically targeted at priority sectors, including manufacturing and export-oriented SMEs.
The Chamber expressed significant concern regarding the recent tightening of loan classification rules, which reduced the grace period from nine months to three months.
President Taskeen Ahmed maintained that this shift, combined with energy shortages and weak demand, has placed unsustainable pressure on legitimate businesses. “Considering these challenges, the central bank should reconsider loan rescheduling facilities for unintentional defaulters and extend the loan classification period to at least six months,” Ahmed stated during the discussion.
Responding to the Chamber’s concerns, Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman, FCMA,
observed that the national economy has become over-dependent on a limited
range of products and export markets.
He maintained that prioritizing the Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprise (CMSME) sector and agricultural management is the only viable path
to stimulating the domestic economy and generating employment.
Addressing the persistence of high inflation, the Governor attributed the
trend to elevated costs in logistics and product management, emphasizing that
everyone must work together to remove these obstacles to ensure price
stability.
He linked the need for policy reform directly to the nation’s ability to
compete for capital.
“In recent years, our GDP growth rate has not been satisfactory, which has
left us behind in attracting both foreign and domestic investment. To
overcome this, there is no alternative to reforming business and trade
policies and easing the cost of business,” he added.
The BB Governor assured the DCCI leadership that the central bank remains
committed to fostering an environment conducive to sustainable industrial
growth while managing inflationary pressures.
The meeting was attended, among others, by DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev
H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman and members of the DCCI Board
of Directors alongside senior officials of Bangladesh Bank.
