Youth urged to embrace business
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday urged young and innovative people to come forward and engage in business and entrepreneurship.
He made the call when a 21-member delegation of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), led by its President Taskeen Ahmed, paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.
Urging business leaders to take the initiative to develop alternative energy systems quickly, the President said young entrepreneurs should become more involved in the competition surrounding the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
He also stressed the need to reduce bank interest rates to encourage business and commerce.
Referring to low-interest bank loans introduced during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, Mirza Fakhrul said the facility helped promote industrialisation and create new entrepreneurs in less-developed regions, including Rajshahi and northern Bangladesh.
New factories and businesses were established in those areas as a result, which he described as a landmark initiative.
During the meeting, the DCCI delegation formally invited the President to attend the upcoming Bangladesh AI Business Summit 2026, organised by the chamber, as the chief guest.
The President accepted the invitation and assured the delegation that he would attend the event.
The DCCI representatives said they were working to implement Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s plan to turn Bangladesh into a $1 trillion economy by 2034.
They expressed hope that, by working closely with the government, the problems facing business and commerce could be resolved within the next two years, allowing the sector to move forward.
The delegation also apprised the President of the business community’s demands, challenges and prospects.
Mirza Fakhrul said people in Bangladesh had repeatedly struggled, fought and sacrificed their lives for democracy.
“But after achieving democracy, we failed to institutionalise it because political parties misused the benefits of democracy,” he said.
The President said the country had fallen behind and business and commerce had stagnated because a system of plunder had been established in the past.
He also said the banking sector had been damaged by personal greed and vested interests.
Mirza Fakhrul urged businesspeople to become more involved in social development and welfare activities.
The President’s military secretary, secretary and press secretary were present at the meeting.
