Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Adviser to the ministries of Finance, Science and Technology, has stated that the government is committed to returning the money deposited in banks. He noted that Bangladesh Bank is working to rehabilitate troubled banks, citing Islami Bank as a major example.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday (July 5) after a meeting with senior officials at the Nabinagar Upazila Parishad Auditorium in Brahmanbaria, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said, “There’s now a Bank Resolution Act, and its first condition is that the government is committed to ensuring those who deposited money in banks will get their money back. No one will lose their money. However, it may take some time.”

He added, “In the past, many ran away with large sums of bank money. This has never happened in any other country in the world.”

Addressing the current situation with the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Finance Adviser said, “Discussions are ongoing to resolve the NBR’s issues. Steps will be taken based on discussions with businesspeople and other stakeholders. A five-member committee has been formed for that. They’ll recommend the next steps.”

Regarding investment, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said the government reduced import duties in the current budget to help attract foreign investors, especially in the European and American tariff zones. He said, “We want to ensure that investors don’t need to visit 10 or 12 different offices for approvals. We’re working to centralize all permits and licenses.”

Among those present at the event were Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Md Didarul Alam and Nabinagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rajib Chowdhury, along with other government officials.