Leaders of 18 leading business bodies on Monday paid glowing tributes to former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, recalling her decisive role in strengthening democracy and steering Bangladesh towards economic progress.
The remarks came from a memorial and doa mehfil titled ‘Memorial and Doa Mehfil for Late Begum Khaleda Zia’, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICC Bangladesh) at a city hotel in the afternoon.
Special prayers were offered seeking eternal peace for her departed soul.
Speakers at the mehfil said Khaleda Zia’s leadership marked a turning point for the country, as Bangladesh not only safeguarded democratic values but also embarked on a sustained journey of economic advancement under her stewardship.
ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, speaking at the doa mehfil, said Khaleda Zia’s initiatives in democratic reform and poverty reduction were ‘unparalleled’, mentioning that her policies laid a strong foundation for private sector growth and national development.
Referring to the USD 500 million KAFCO fertiliser project undertaken with Japan, Denmark and the Netherlands during BNP’s second term in office, he said the country’s GDP had strengthened significantly at the time, while Bangladesh made notable progress in attracting foreign investment.
“Bangladesh reached a unique height in privatisation under Khaleda Zia’s leadership. Through this single initiative, the country’s name reached the global economy,” Mahbubur Rahman said.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed said the new generation of business leaders wanted to move Bangladesh’s economy forward towards prosperity under the leadership of Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman. Business organisations are committed to cooperating with him, he added.
Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) President Abdul Hai Sarker said Khaleda Zia’s most distinctive quality was that she spoke less and listened more. “She listened attentively to businesspeople and made decisions based on fairness and her own judgment.”
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) President Mohammad Hatem said the journey of prosperity in Bangladesh’s garment sector had begun under Khaleda Zia’s leadership.
“She (Khaleda) thought about the country and its people throughout her life. I consider myself fortunate to have attended the janaza of former President Ziaur Rahman and, similarly, to have been able to attend Khaleda Zia’s janaza as well,” he added.
Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) President Abdul Muktadir said the liberalisation that helped develop Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical sector was largely driven by BNP and Khaleda Zia.
The mehfil began with a one-minute silence to pay tribute to Khaleda Zia and to mourn her death.
From the BNP, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee members Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Abdul Moyeen Khan were present at the event.
Leaders and top representatives of several other business bodies, including the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI), Bangladesh Insurance Association (BIA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB), Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies (BAPLC), Bangladesh Semiconductor Industry Association (BSIA), Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) and the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) attended the programme.