ছবি: Sheikh Bashiruddin
Sheikh Bashiruddin, the Trade Adviser, shared a bitter experience from the past when he struggled to secure a gas connection during the previous Awami League government's tenure. Speaking at a seminar on Saturday, November 23, in a hotel in Gulshan, he recalled waiting in the rain in front of a former Energy Minister's house, feeling like he was asking for a job rather than a basic utility service. Despite significant investments, Bashiruddin found it almost impossible to obtain a gas connection, likening the process to registering with a bank.
At the seminar, organized by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI), Sheikh Bashiruddin explained that, despite the challenges, he managed to meet with the former Minister and listen to long lectures, though he struggled to relate the minister’s advice to his own knowledge. As a businessman, he said he did not receive the respect he expected at the time. He added that under the previous government's leadership, the business and energy sectors were in a state of chaos, with little regard for businesspeople.
However, Bashiruddin emphasized that the current situation has changed, and now there is a conducive environment for business growth. Addressing the business community, he urged them to step forward, invest their own funds, and utilize the opportunities available without relying on government handouts. He also pointed out that in the past, businesspeople had to give money to influential figures, but now that is no longer necessary.
The seminar was attended by various top business leaders and owners of industry organizations. The Chief Guest was Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Advisor to the Interim Government's Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources.
repoter