ZCZC
BSS-31
STIMULUS PACKAGE-ECONOMISTS-BUSINESSMEN-2 LAT DHAKA
Talking to the national news agency, FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim welcomed the Taka 72,750 crore stimulus package and opined that it would help the micro, SMEs and large enterprises as well as the manufacturing, agriculture and the services sectors.
“If this package is utilized in a targeted and focused way, then it will be helpful for addressing unemployment, keeping the economic activities normal as much as possible,” he added.
The FBCCI President said since the consumer spending and the export earnings are slightly on the downtrend now, the government in its stimulus package is focusing on raising public expenditure so that the economy can proceed at the pace that it is now going on.
“I think whatever measures the government is taking are targeted and focused and these measures are being taken targeting each sector and also across the board,” he added.
The head of the country’s apex trade body also opined that although the country is likely to pass a tough year ahead, it would be possible to overcome this tough time through public and private cooperation and also if these measures are implemented in a structured way.
DCCI President Shams Mahmud also welcomed the stimulus package announced by the Premier, saying that the SME sector is rightly prioritized in this package.
He said since the loan facility would be extended mainly on the basis of bank-client relationship and the concerned banks should consider which business houses and clients are good having sound track record as well as pay taxes regularly.
The DCCI president said the central bank is likely to create a special fund for the agriculture sector and it has to be ensured that the benefits of this fund do reach the basic or grassroots level.
He said as the banks would disburse the funds under the stimulus package, a modality should have to be fixed so that the banks could reach everyone side by side the banks should not give loans to those who would not pay back or do have bad track records.
In a televised address from her official Ganabhaban residence yesterday (Sunday) morning, the premier said with the fresh allocations in addition to the previous Taka 5,000 crore package, the total amount of financial assistance under the stimulus package would stand at Tk 72,750 crore, which is nearly 2.52 percent of GDP.
BSS/SPL/RI/GM/GA/1828 hrs