Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin on Tuesday stated that the capacity of Bangladesh’s public and private institutions has been severely eroded over the past 15 years, leading to a breakdown in market competitiveness and hindering the development of local industries.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Competition Policy in Bangladesh: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward” held at a Dhaka hotel, the Adviser warned that crony capitalism, unequal resource distribution, and institutional decay have discouraged new market entrants and undermined economic fairness.
He emphasized that the Bangladesh Competition Commission (BCC) must be empowered to restore competitive practices and protect consumers. “The people want to feel the benefits of competition in their daily lives,” he said, urging the Commission to act against entities that evade taxes, accumulate illegal wealth, or harm small businesses through unethical practices.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Dr. Moinul Khan, and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Sonali Dayaratne also addressed the event, which was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Competition Commission and UNDP Bangladesh.
BCC Chairperson AHM Ahsan presided over the seminar, while RAPID Chairman Dr. MA Razzaque presented the keynote paper. Other panelists included BIDS Director General Dr. AK Enamul Haque, BCC Member Dr. Afroza Bilkis, FCDO Economic Adviser Isam Mosaddek, and MCCI President Kamran T Rahman.
The Adviser concluded by calling for a renewed commitment to fair competition, institutional integrity, and equitable resource distribution to support inclusive economic growth.
