The Chief of Army Staff, General Waqar-uz-Zaman, held a meeting with the country’s top business leaders. This meeting took place on Thursday, August 22, at the Army Multipurpose Complex in Dhaka Cantonment.
Senior officials from the Army Headquarters and intelligence agencies were present at the meeting. Among the business leaders present were FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam, ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Mir Nasir Hossain, A.K. Azad, Md. Jashim Uddin, Tapan Chowdhury, Ashraf Ahmed, Khondkar Rafiqul Islam, and Naser Ejaz Bijoy.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Chief of Army Staff emphasized the importance and contributions of the business community to the country’s economy and highlighted the role of the army in ensuring the security of industrial zones amid the prevailing situation in the country. He also assured everyone that the army would continue to provide security support to keep industries operational.
In response, FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam, speaking on behalf of the business leaders, praised the timely role of the army in maintaining law and order during the recent historic revolution by students and the public, as well as in preserving business operations, industrial production, and creating an environment of trust. He also highlighted the need for creating a business and investment-friendly environment, ensuring the safety of industries, gaining the confidence of foreign investors, enhancing economic dynamism through closer owner-worker relations, ensuring uninterrupted supply chains, and increasing security at all ports and highways, including Dhaka-Chattogram.
Furthermore, Mahbubul Alam stressed the importance of preventing extortion in industries and on highways, resolving security risks through coordination between industrial police and business organizations with the army’s support, reopening factories closed due to arson, and ensuring the safety of foreign workers employed in Bangladesh. During the meeting, the business leaders shared their opinions and suggestions in an open environment. The Chief of Army Staff then reassured the business leaders that the army would stand by them in providing security to industries and industrial zones, curbing extortion, gaining the confidence of foreign investors, and other related activities.
It is worth mentioning that, in light of the country’s unstable situation, the Army Industrial Zone Security Cell was established on August 9 to ensure the security of industrial areas. Under the supervision of this cell, with the assistance of industrial police, RAB, and BGB, temporarily closed factories were quickly reopened, creating a secure and trusting environment. The Bangladesh Army’s efforts to maintain the security of industrial zones and keep the country’s economy running will continue.
