Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed optimism that Bangladesh’s economy can undergo a positive transformation within the next four to five years if the government and the private sector work together in a coordinated manner.

He made the remarks during a nearly four-hour meeting with leading private-sector entrepreneurs, organized by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday.

Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu said the premier stressed that serving the country and its people remains the government’s primary objective.

“Our goal is to work for the country and its people. There are challenges in some areas, but if we work together, we will be able to overcome them,” the Prime Minister said.

He noted that both the government and the business community recognize the country’s existing economic challenges and emphasized that the government is sincerely working to address them through continued dialogue with stakeholders.

“We all acknowledge that there are many problems. The government has not yet completed six months in office, but during this period we have already held several meetings with business leaders and trade forums. We are also addressing sector-specific issues,” he said.

Referring to previous discussions, the Prime Minister said many of the issues raised by business leaders had already been resolved, while new concerns raised during the latest meeting would also receive government attention.

He announced that another meeting with business representatives would be held within the next two to three months.

“The more frequently we meet, the better we will understand your problems and the more effectively we can solve them,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that open and constructive dialogue is the key to resolving economic challenges and expressed confidence that continued cooperation between the government and the private sector could produce significant improvements in the country’s economy within the next four to five years.

The meeting also focused on expanding business activities, attracting greater foreign investment, and creating a more favorable environment for industrialization.

Business leaders called for easier access to credit, stronger policy support, and a more business-friendly investment climate. They also praised several recent government initiatives and expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing reforms.

Officials informed the meeting that 21 of the 28 issues discussed during the previous meeting had already been resolved, while work on the remaining seven is still underway.

Business representatives also presented a roadmap to increase Bangladesh’s export earnings to US$100 billion by 2030. The government assured them of providing the necessary diplomatic support to help achieve that target.

The meeting was attended by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman, senior government officials, and representatives from leading business groups.