Have to get rid of this 'mess' to do business with world: Prof Yunus

Interim government's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today said the world will do more business with Bangladesh if the country, as a nation, could collectively get over the "mess".

"We will have the world's attention. The world will look to us for inspiration, and the world will want to do more business with us," he said when leaders of the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh, called on him at his office at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The business delegation led by ICC-B President Mahbubur Rahman greeted the Chief Adviser on his assumption of the leadership of the Interim Government, saying the country's businessmen fully support him in his new role.

"It's a very hard situation that we are in now. But it's also the biggest opportunity that we can get. Our job is difficult but very much doable," Prof Yunus said.

Prof Yunus thanked them and said that his administration inherited an economic mess, but he was confident the situation would soon improve with the introduction of vital reforms.

The ICC-B leaders urged the 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate to carry out much-needed reforms without haste to bring back stability in the economy, according to the chief adviser's press wing.

They said the previous government left the country in ruins. Deep reforms and restructuring were needed in the banking sector, revenue administrations, education, and industry, they added.

"We are a witness to what happened over the last 15 years. The Bangladesh private sector is with you 100 per cent," Mahbubur Rahman, the ICC-B President, said.

Professor Muhammad Yunus asked the delegation "to think outside the box to achieve greatness as a nation". He said: "If we can make the young people's dream come true, we can make the nation's dream come true."

Senior business leaders, including FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam, Tapan Chowdhury, Kutubuddin Ahmed, AK Azad, Simeen Rahman, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Fazlul Hoque and Mohammad Hatem attended the meeting.

Source: UNB, Dhaka