Finance minister hopes economy, energy sector will stabilise within two years

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has expressed hope that the country’s economy and energy sector will fully stabilise within the next two years.

He said the government was prioritising foreign investment, tax reform, renewable energy expansion and improvements to supply infrastructure to achieve this goal.

He made the remarks at a luncheon meeting organised by the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at the Grand Ballroom of InterContinental Dhaka in the capital on Monday (19 October). The meeting’s theme was “Sustainable Power and Energy: Driving Investment in Bangladesh”.

The finance minister said government initiatives to attract foreign investment were receiving a positive response in international markets. The government wants to tap the country’s economic potential by improving the investment climate, he said.

On tax reform, he said the government had taken steps to separate policymaking from implementation. He believes this would increase transparency and accountability in tax administration while reducing corruption.

Amir Khasru stressed the need to expand renewable energy use to address the energy crisis. He also outlined plans to improve infrastructure to make energy imports and supply operations more efficient.

The finance minister said infrastructure capable of accommodating larger vessels would increase energy transport and supply capacity. This would help overcome existing constraints and meet long-term demand.

The meeting discussed opportunities for domestic and foreign investment in the country’s power and energy sectors, the development of a sustainable energy system and policy reforms to create an investment-friendly environment.

The finance minister expressed hope that implementing the government’s plans and reform initiatives would bring stability to the economy and energy sector within the next two years.