Seeking support for constructing a new Bangladesh, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday asked the businesses to come out and work together as one team to enhance productivity, capacity and competitiveness so that Bangladesh can compete effectively in the global market.

“As a team, we must advance. This crew is small. The family is quite small. Let’s collaborate. “Let us construct a new Bangladesh,” he said, expressing gratitude for the entrepreneurs’ passion.

Prof Yunus said they got an opportunity to build a new Bangladesh with a healthy and decent economy by coming out from the rotten system that the country witnessed over the last 15 years.

“We can do that together. You have proved that you can,” said the nobel laureate, describing the businesspeople as world-class entrepreneurs.

International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB) hosted the event titled “National Business Dialogue” held at a hotel in Dhaka.

Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud and Finance and Commerce Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed spoke as special guests while business leader Mir Nasir Hossain spoke on behalf of the ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman.

The chief adviser said it was not an ordinary political movement but the students led it with their uncompromising spirit to achieve their goal to see a new Bangladesh.

He said such opportunities do not come again and again and they have no idea whether the nation will get any such opportunity in the future. “My appeal to you all, this opportunity should not be left unutilized.”

Prof Yunus said they know each other in this compact family which is a big source of power. “RMG industry emerged as something very big out of nowhere.”

He said RMG industry is proudly holding the second position in the world market and it can be number one in the world market.

Prof Yunus said businesspeople are members of the compact family and the government wants to work together with the businesspeople.

He said they might not have knowledge or experiences in all the fields but they can gather the required experiences by working together as a team. “Let us materialize the dream.”

Talking about the challenges in the post-graduation era, Prof Yunus said they might lose some benefits but they have to develop the capacity to compete efficiently.

The chief adviser introduced his special envoy on international affairs Lutfey Siddiqui with the businesspeople and hoped that he will be successful in conveying the messages of businesspeople to its international partners.

“Let us do reforms together. My big expectation is to see workers-owners good relationship. We cannot proceed if workers issues remain unaddressed. If we want to proceed, give us the courage,” he said.

The chief adviser also encouraged the businesspeople to do social business, noting that making money is happiness but making other people happy is super-happiness.

“We will do whatever we can as the country has given us an opportunity. Let us work together,” he said.

Representing the ICCB President, Mir Nasir Hossain said there is a well-orchestrated vested quarter which is desperate to discredit the interim government by creating chaos and unrest within the society and the economy.

In order to fulfill the dream of martyrs, he stated, “We must resist this unholy alliance and counter it with full force,” adding that businesses as a whole will collaborate with the Chief Adviser as a catalyst.

Businesses, according to Nasir, have complete faith and confidence in Prof. Yunus’s temporary administration of Bangladesh, which was established as a result of a large-scale student-led campaign to establish a new Bangladesh.