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Change Your Life! |
An exclusive with outgoing FBCCI president |
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News
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September 17, 2000
Dhaka (UNB)- Country’s topmost business leader has said political reforms are the key to restore peace and stability in the society and generate national wealth. “Unless there is a strong leadership with good managerial capacity and skill, there will be no change for better in the society,” says Abdul Awal Mintoo, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). Generating wealth requires political stability, consistent policy, social order and government support strategy, he says. In an exclusive interview, the outgoing chief of the apex trade body touched upon a wide range of areas that matter growth of the economy. He accused ‘atrophied politics’ for patronising terrorism and tampering civil society, social organisations and professional groups. Stressing the urgency of reforms in administration, judiciary and banking, Mintoo said reforms in politics should be brought in first before changes in other areas. Summing up his experience in FBCCI office and two decades in business and industry, Mintoo talked about obstacles to industrial and business growth, pointed out loopholes in politics, administration and judiciary and suggested remedies. He views that investment will not increase unless political stability is ensured, judiciary functions without interference, red tapism in government offices goes and corruption checked. There may be ‘routine increase’ in investment figures annually, but none can expect the desired level when political instability and bureaucratic red tapism are added to other detriments like inadequate infrastructure, extortion and deteriorated law and order situation. All these factors shy away both foreign and local investments, he said. Besides macroeconomic state, people’s purchasing power, port services, labour competitiveness, marketability of products, fiscal deficit and overall image of the country also matter in investment. Mintoo said investors care most how smoothly they can send goods out of the county, bring in raw materials and market the products profitably. The FBCCI president felt the urgency of separate transport protocols between Bangladesh and neighbouring states - India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China to ease regional trade. Import cost would come down by 7 to 10 per cent if there is a transport protocol between Bangladesh and India allowing trucks of both countries to travel straight up to the destinations, he said. The outgoing FBCCI president said absence of accountability and transparency in the administration is leading to rampant corruption. No makeshift arrangement will help cure the ills. Civil society and social organisations must work together while reforms must take place simultaneously in administration and judiciary and other related areas. He said since 70 per cent of existing laws is obsolete leading to judicial bottlenecks, new laws are required to be enacted. Initiative for changes must come from all components, he said, pointing to the gap between policies and implementations. Bottleneck continues to exist as bureaucracy delays implementation of a law enacted by Parliament. Ministers must have the ability to administer and enjoy command over bureaucracy, he added. Mintoo refused to accept the contention often cited by policymakers that public administration reform is a lengthy process. “It’s a deceiving phrase of the politicians being guided by the bureaucrats. If there is a strong political will, reforms may start right from today.” He also suggested a “major review” of the constitution to meet the needs of the time. All amendments in our constitution were made to satisfy political purposes, not to satisfy the need of the people. India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand have undertaken major reviews of their constitutions to meet the changing needs of the time, he said. Before ending his two-year term as FBCCI president on October 22, Mintoo said he would finalise publication of a book identifying problems in various sectors and prescribing remedies. Manuscript of the book has already been approved by the FBCCI Board. The book, he said, deals with political state; bureaucracy; judiciary; parliament; administration, banking and financial sector; physical, social and industrial infrastructures. Pointing to deteriorated law and order situation and unstable and confrontational politics Mintoo said, “Law and order situation can’t be isolated from political situation. If instability increases, law and order situation deteriorates.” Directly blaming political parties for patronising terrorists, he said, “In a state of confrontational politics, none should expect better because every (political) party depends on terrorists.” “If not so,” he argues, “ why do they (terrorists) change parties?” The top business leader was also vocal against the extortionism, an unofficial drainage of funds of the business community, who are enduing it silently. “Whoever asks for money is ‘chandabazi’, be it politicians or mastans,” the FBCCI chief said suggesting immediate enactment of law to make ‘chandabazi’ a punishable offence. As some economists prefer state funding for election by political parties, Mintoo felt it would not be the right thing to do. He, however, said part of election expenditure of a party may come from the government fund. The FBCCI publication, which is now underway, also sought a ban on collection of ‘chanda’ (extortion money) by political workers in the name of observance of anniversaries or various holidays or political meetings. Persons attempting to extort money for such purposes should be prosecuted. The FBCCI publication would also seek enactment of laws to regulate political parties, which, he said, are not governed by any law. There is hardly any country where political parties are not governed by some norms or laws. Political parties that do not operate strictly within the framework of law can not be expected to run the country within the framework of law, he added. He suggested banning political parties that failed to secure at least 7 percent votes cast and abolition of student and teacher wings of political parties Mintoo expressed hope the new leadership of the country’s apex trade body must work hard to change the environment –- political, judicial and financial – under which the young, energetic, intelligent entrepreneurs can be fully utilised. |