Bangladesh’s economic comeback in just six months is a miracle, says Press Secretary

The Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor, Shafiul Alam, has called Bangladesh’s impressive economic recovery over the past six months a "miracle." 

He reflected on how dire the situation was before the interim government took charge, saying, "Before the interim government assumed office, the economy had reached a point where it could collapse at any moment."

Alam shared these thoughts while addressing the "DJFB Talk" event, held on February 26 at the NEC Conference Hall in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. 

The event was organized by the Development Journalist Forum of Bangladesh (DJFB), where he was the chief guest.

Highlighting the issues in the energy sector, Alam emphasized the need to restore discipline, stating, "The energy sector had been robbed due to state-sponsored corruption." He assured that the government was working on long-term solutions for the power sector and mentioned that they were already in talks with large power companies. "We are planning to drill a large number of gas wells to tackle the issue," he added.

In addition, Alam pointed out the importance of improving the efficiency of Chittagong port, which plays a vital role in the country’s trade. 

"If the port’s efficiency doesn’t improve, foreign investment will not increase," he stated. He explained that discussions were underway with major international companies to enhance the port’s operations. "Our goal is to develop every port in Chittagong, which will attract more foreign investments," he said.

Alam also raised concerns about the country’s power system, noting, "Without an efficient energy system, no one will invest." 

He revealed that there had been cases of theft in the power system, adding, "The country desperately needs investment, but it has not been secured yet."

He criticized the previous government for its financial mismanagement, stating, "There was no money left when they left office, and they spent whatever was remaining without proper planning." He gave the example of the 560 model mosques built at inflated costs, suggesting they could have been built for much less money. "Additionally, rail lines were constructed in a way that trains don’t even run daily. This is simply wasting taxpayers’ money," Alam concluded.