Finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed on Saturday said that many were trying to give Bangladesh a bad name by depicting a negative image of the country.
Such negative criticisms were described as a major setback on the path of enhancing the county鈥檚 image abroad, the finance adviser observed as he was unveiling an extended edition of his book 鈥楪overnorer Smritikotha鈥� (memoirs of a governor) in the capital.
Referring to his recent trips to foreign countries, the finance adviser said that the impression about Bangladesh was very good.
They (the foreigners) also inquired about different newspaper reports, he said, adding that self-criticisms should be made but carefully.
Earlier at the event, he lamented that everybody wanted generation of more revenues but demanded reduction in rate of the value added tax.
Recalling his days at the helm of Bangladesh Bank, he said that then finance minister M Saifur Rahman asked for the establishment of new banks, but then governor Salehuddin eschewed Saifur鈥檚 wish by undertaking a very lengthy study on the possible necessity of new banks.
He also recalled how he convinced former chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed of the military backed caretaker government not to meddle in the financial sector in the country鈥檚 best interest.
The book鈥檚 publisher Bonik Barta organised the event, also attended, among others, by economists, including Mahabub Ullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Rashed Al Titumir, and former National Board of Revenue chairman Abdul Mazid.
Appreciating the content of the book capturing events and thoughts of the adviser鈥檚 long career, speakers said expectations were running high among the public as he was leading the finance sector after the political changeover brought in by the student-mass uprising.
Rashed Al Titumir said that the finance adviser inherited a broken economy left behind by the ousted Awami League that carried out a propaganda of the so-called economic development during its entire regime.
Noting the consumption-based economic model was no more capable of bringing pace to the country鈥檚 economy, he suggested for massive investment on industries.
Economist Mahbub Ullah pointed out some major factual errors in the book.
Appreciating the courage of Salehuddin Ahmed as the former central bank governor, Mustafizur lamented that the immediate past Bangladesh Bank governor had gone into hiding.
