Graft main hurdle, says CPD survey

INDEPENDENT
December 29, 2003

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Giving a bleak investment scenario prevailing in the country, a survey of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has revealed that graft is the most problematic factor in doing business Bangladesh, followed by inefficient bureaucracy, poor infrastructure, crimes, policy instability and constricted access to finance.

But, leading political leaders and government functionaries have rejected the survey report on Competitiveness Environment in Bangladesh prepared by the CPD terming it "motivated" while branding the process of ranking economies of the world, including that of Bangladesh as a "dangerous game".

The survey report, prepared as part of the Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum, has also revealed that 96.3 per cent respondents opine that trust in the honesty of politicians is sharply declining with 91 per cent in 2001 and 95.6 per cent in 2002.

According to the WEF report, Bangladesh ranks 98th out of 102 countries in terms of Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) while in case of Business Competitiveness Index (BCI) it stands 86th out of 95 economies.

Sharply sniping at the findings of the CPD, Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI) Mahmudur Rahman said, there was a serious perceptual gap in ranking competitiveness of the economy.

In his intervention, Prof Sobhan said, the survey report was based on  responses from the business people at large.

CPD in collaboration with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) arranged the dialogue to present its survey report yesterday at a city hotel with CPD Executive Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan.

The CPD survey covered 81 companies, mainly corporate houses based in Dhaka.

Commerce Minister Aniir Khosru Mahnntd Chowdhury attended the dialogue as the chief guest while Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI) Mahmudur Rahman was the special guest.

FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo, General Secretary of the Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon, politician Major (Retd) Akhtaruzzaman also spoke at the dialogue.

The Commerce Minister said that Bangladesh must ensure higher level of investment if it wanted to achieve six to seven per cent growth.

"Do not give importance to these findings," BoI chief said, terming the whole process a dangerous game.