‘Productivity key for sustainable economy’
Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Thurday asserted that boosting national productivity across manufacturing, services, and public administration is indispensable for sustaining Bangladesh’s industrial base and overall economic momentum amid the country’s deep integration with the global trade architecture.
Speaking as the chief guest at a high-level roundtable discussion titled “Productivity Growth in Bangladesh: Challenges and Future Actions” in Dhaka, the minister highlighted that Bangladesh cannot abruptly disengage from interconnected global markets and must instead build resilient, long-term competitive advantages through technological adaptation and targeted human resource development.
The event was jointly organized by the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) and the daily Jugantor to mark National Productivity Day 2026.
To enhance national economic efficiency and optimize public spending, the minister called for the complete elimination of overlapping activities and operational duplication across government development initiatives.
He proposed that before approving new capital projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP), the Planning Commission and relevant ministries should leverage artificial intelligence-based evaluation systems to examine whether similar objectives, scopes, or activities are already being executed by other agencies.
Such automated, technology-driven scrutiny would significantly improve the efficiency of public expenditure, reduce fiscal waste, and eliminate systemic bottlenecks in ADP implementation.
Differentiating regulatory and policy frameworks within public governance, Muktadir clarified that National Skills Development primarily operates as a regulatory issue, whereas overall productivity growth remains a broader strategic policy imperative that requires distinct management and institutional approaches.
He noted that executing similar, uncoordinated activities across multiple projects undertaken by different ministries often dilutes intended policy outcomes and weakens overall state capacity.
Highlighting the stark realities of global commercial competition, the minister warned that if Bangladesh fails to produce quality goods and services at competitive costs, rival export-oriented nations will inevitably capture its global market share.
While domestic industries may receive temporary, well-calibrated protective tariffs where appropriate, he stressed that local manufacturing entities must build self-sustaining, long-term competitiveness within specified timeframes.
He reiterated that productivity must evolve beyond mere output figures on a factory floor to become an embedded, nationwide culture across society and the economy.
The primary objective of productivity growth, Muktadir explained, is to produce higher-volume, superior-quality goods and services using optimized labor, reduced material waste, and modern technological machinery that enhances efficiency in both business operations and daily life.
Citing Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector as a proven benchmark, the minister noted that industrial workers have repeatedly demonstrated remarkable capacity for rapid technological adaptation and productivity gains, even when access to higher formal education was limited.
However, he identified lingering deficiencies in strategic leadership, practical planning, and strong organizational determination as the primary structural hurdles to achieving national productivity goals.
Muktadir stressed that practical planning, effective technology deployment, a skilled workforce, and accountable leadership are vital to moving the economy forward.
Industries Secretary Abdun Naser Khan, FBCCI Administrator Fazlul Hoque, Jugantor Editor Abdul Hai Sikder, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Executive Director Naznin Ahmed, and NPO Director General Md Naeb Ali also addressed the discussion alongside senior officials and trade leaders.
