With support from law enforcers, the government has been striving to rein in rampant crime rates across the country over the past few weeks. However, the economy remains largely unaddressed, thanks to a wide distance between the business community and the government. Many factories are overburdened with debt, and many others have shut down. Business investment has ground to a halt, imperiling economic growth, and raising unemployment rate.
The government must realise that without supporting the economy it cannot achieve its lofty goals of state reforms. This fact need not be a lesson for the very stalwarts of economy, and yet, unfortunately such appears to be the case. Since independence, the interim government has included more economic experts than ever. The head of the government, Dr Muhammad Yunus, is himself a renowned economist who gained global recognition for introducing social business. Other top economic advisers like Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, and Dr Ahsan H Mansur are highly respected in their fields. Despite their expertise, businesspeople are still struggling to get proper support, security, and incentives.
Policymakers may have a grudge against a section of businesspeople for their suspected support for the past autocratic regime. But it has managed to nab only one in the cohort, the kingpin Salman F Rahman, while most corrupt economic agency officials and businessmen are staying off the hook. Rather, those businessmen who were coerced into submission by the Awami League autocratic regime are bearing the brunt of current economic malaise.
