Hossain Zillur exposes interim govt’s weaknesses

Staff Reporter :

Former caretaker government adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman has expressed concern over what he described as the shortcomings of the interim government in tackling poverty, disguised unemployment, and the rising dropout rate at the primary level.

Speaking at a seminar titled “Bangladesh’s Response in the Context of Trade Wars and the Role of FBCCI” organised by Bangladesh Business Forum (BBF) at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday, he warned that these issues signal a worrying trend that cannot be overlooked.

“Poverty in Bangladesh is walking in reverse. Pseudo unemployment has reached epidemic proportions. The frustrations among young people are clear to see. Primary school dropout rates have gone up. I see a serious lack of attention from the interim government on these matters, and that gap worries me,” he said.

Explaining his concern, Hossain Zillur emphasised that while macroeconomic stability is essential, it cannot be the end goal.

“Macroeconomic stability is a necessary condition in economic terms. But more important than stability is dynamism – momentum in the economy. Today’s biggest agenda must be speed, the momentum of growth. There is no room for complacency in the narrative that Bangladesh is moving forward. What matters now is how fast we move forward.”

He cautioned against self-satisfaction in the country’s economic discourse, stressing that both the government and private sector must focus on speeding up decisions and actions.
Highlighting the current situation in the country, he said, “Without momentum, discussions about Bangladesh become meaningless.”

Reflecting on the past 15 years of what he termed authoritarian governance, he said that a culture of unethical group dominance had taken hold, but warned against painting the entire private sector with the same brush.

“Entrepreneurs must be trusted because they are the ones who will keep the country’s wheels turning,” he added.