Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said RMG owners should now contribute more to the government as the sector is no longer an infant industry. “RMG sector has got huge financial support from the government over the last three decades although it is the country’s most job creation sector,” he said. Muhith said this at a per-budget meeting titled “Job creation: major economic challenge for 2015-16 fiscal year” at the National Press Club. Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed and NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman were also present at the programme. Muhith said the government mechanism will be strengthened to tackle any sort of uncertainly and instability in future in the best interest of the country’s economy. “Our economy has showed resilience during the political turmoil and we have been able to fight the political unrest successfully.” The finance minister also claimed that at present a positive mood has been created in local and foreign investors after the government successfully faced political turmoil from January through March. He hoped that new investment would come to the country and more job will be created. In reply to a question, the finance minister said he had loudly spoken about bringing the Foreign Direct Investment to the country, but it is sad that none of the law makers in the parliament talk about bringing the FDI to the country. Regarding the stability in the kitchen market, he said the kitchen markets have not been volatile in last six years after budget announcement. Aftab ul Islam, president of American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), said political instability is a major problem for having foreign investment. Political uncertainly should be removed from the country for bringing local and foreign investment, he added. Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute, said the new generation businessmen will not stay in the country if good governance is not established in the country. He said the government should increase investment, 3% of its GDP, to attract foreign direct investment.
