Dhaka, Nov 28 (V7N) – The committee tasked with preparing a "white paper" on Bangladesh's economy will submit its final report to the Chief Adviser on Sunday, December 1, according to Debapriya Bhattacharya, chairman of the committee.

Debapriya made the announcement today at a seminar titled Current Economic Situation and Launching of Open Budget Survey 2023 Results, jointly organized by the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) and Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID).

He further stated that the report's findings will be made public during a press conference on December 2.

During the seminar, Debapriya raised concerns about the lack of action against wealth amassed through corruption and embezzlement. "If we cannot recover the wealth taken from the people through corruption, what kind of revolution have we achieved?" he asked. He added that reclaiming such wealth would also improve tax collection.

The economist expressed concerns over the apprehension of donors and foreign investors regarding the continuity of major projects in Bangladesh. He emphasized the importance of ensuring Bangladesh's integration into the global economy and proposed a meeting between the government and donors in January.

Debapriya recommended forming a "Forum for Inclusive and Sustainable Development" within two months to restore confidence among donors and investors. He outlined five priority areas for the forum:

  1. Controlling inflation.
  2. Addressing obstacles to private investment.
  3. Resolving the energy crisis.
  4. Accelerating project completion by addressing government financing challenges.
  5. Strengthening tax collection mechanisms.

He stressed that achieving economic stability and security is essential for realizing the government's objectives.

To build trust among citizens, Debapriya suggested the government should provide reports on what actions have been taken so far and outline a roadmap for the next six months.

END/MSS/AJ