DHAKA: Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Saturday categorically said bank loan interest rate is not being lessened as some dishonest businesspeople did not pay the bank loans.

He was addressing a view exchange meeting on the 7th Five-Year Plan at the NEC conference room of Planning Commission in the city’s Sher-E-Banglanagar area.

Kamal said that if Bangladesh Bank interferes, it would be possible to lessen the tendency of not to pay the bank loans.

Regarding the 7th Five-Year Plan, he said the plan would be investment and growth friendly and cover all backward communities.

Planning Division secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam presided over the meeting.

Statistics and Information Management Division secretary Suraiya Begum, and Planning Commission members Arastu Khan, Humayun Khalid and SM Golam Faruk were among others present.

BDST: 1750 HRS, NOV 19, 2014