Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin spoke at a seminar titled "Competition Policy in  Bangladesh: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward" at a city hotel today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, May 20, 2025 (BSS) - Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin today said that 
the base on the capacity of the country's various institutions has been 
broken over the last 15 years, both in the public and private sectors.

"The development in the local industry was deterred severely while the usual 
competitive capacity of the market was also spoiled," he said.

The Commerce Adviser was speaking at a seminar titled "Competition Policy in 
Bangladesh: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward" as the chief guest 
held at a city hotel.

Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman spoke at the seminar as special guest 
while Chairman of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Dr Moinul Khan and 
Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP, Bangladesh Sonali Dayaratne spoke as 
the guests of honour.

Bangladesh Competition Commission Chairperson AHM Ahsan presided over the 
event. 

The seminar was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Competition Commission 
and the UNDP Bangladesh, said a Commerce Ministry press release.

RAPID Chairman Dr MA Razzaque made the keynote presentation at the seminar 
while BIDS Director General Dr AK Enamul Haque, Bangladesh Competition 
Commission Member Dr Afroza Bilkis, Economic Adviser of Foreign, Commonwealth 
and Development Office Isam Mosaddek and MCCI President Kamran T Rahman spoke 
as panel discussants.

The Commerce Adviser noted that due to the destruction of the capacity of the 
institutions over the last 15 years, there was a severe imbalanced 
distribution of resources while it created some crony capitalism in the 
country which had deterred the new competitors from entering the market.

Mentioning that the capacity of the Competition Commission was also destroyed 
during that period, he said the country's common people want to see the 
benefits of competition in their daily life. "The Competition Commission 
should have to be taken in that position," he added.

Stressing on ensuring fair competition in the market, Bashir suggested that 
the Commission should take steps against those unholy businesses which are 
affecting the growth of small businesses side by side taking tough steps 
against those who are amassing wealth through illegal means, evading tax and 
also hostageing the consumers. 
"We need to ensure the practice of fair competition in the market and fair 
distribution of the country's resources," he added.