Commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin emphasised the need for the Bangladesh Competition Commission to take decisive action against businesses that hinder the growth of small enterprises and engage in illegal activities. Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled Competition Policy in Bangladesh: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward, Bashir urged authorities to implement stringent measures against those amassing wealth unlawfully, evading taxes, and harming consumers.
Bashir highlighted the deteriorating institutional capacity over the past 15 years, affecting both public and private sectors. He pointed out that this weakening of institutions has led to an imbalanced distribution of resources and the emergence of crony capitalism, which discourages new competitors from entering the market.
The seminar saw participation from prominent officials, including Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman as a special guest, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Moinul Khan, and UNDP Bangladesh Deputy Resident Representative Sonali Dayaratne. Bangladesh Competition Commission Chairperson AHM Ahsan presided over the event, which was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Competition Commission and UNDP Bangladesh, according to a press release from the Commerce Ministry.
Bashir stressed that due to the decline in institutional capacity, the benefits of fair competition have not adequately reached ordinary Bangladeshis. He called for the Competition Commission to be strengthened to ensure a more equitable and competitive market environment, ultimately benefiting consumers and small businesses alike.
