A delegation of business leaders met with senior BNP leaders, including party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, this afternoon (September 21) at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

The 11-member delegation, led by BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, discussed key economic issues with the party leadership.

Following the meeting, BNP leader Amir Khasru told reporters, “We discussed that it is necessary to defer the LDC graduation to advance the country’s future, economy, investment, trade, and commerce. The business leaders suggested that the government formally write to the United Nations requesting a deferral, and also ask the UN to send representatives to assess Bangladesh’s genuine readiness for the transition.”

On labour law reforms, Khasru said the business community expressed no objection to amendments but stressed that any changes must genuinely improve workers’ lives and ensure labour unions can operate effectively.

At the briefing, Mahmud Hasan Khan highlighted two main priorities: the deferral of LDC graduation and labour law amendment. 

He said, “We are not seeking to postpone LDC graduation indefinitely, only a three-year deferral, as our infrastructure is not yet fully prepared.” Regarding labour law, he noted that the industry had reached agreement on 122 out of 124 points at the Tripartite Consultative Committee (TCC) meeting.

MN/