Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, former director general of the National Science and Technology Museum, said that if there is no honesty and ethics in business, the business is bound to be destroyed. Some businessmen are using Prado-Pajero cars and living in luxurious flats by benefiting unethically by undermining public interest.
He said this at a session titled "Facilitation of Trade and Investment Activities" at Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) in the capital yesterday.
He also said that every government organization, including the Tariff Commission, will have to implement strict monitoring and discipline to ensure the supply of pure and pure food and prevent profit at a very high rate. If the price of the commodity does not come down even after the tax exemption, then the problems of consumers, the public, traders and stakeholders will have to go deep and uncover and solve them. Exemplary punishment should be ensured not only through strict drives, including BSTI and mobile courts, to prevent the production and supply of chemically mixed, contaminated and substandard food products.
The former DG also said that bribery and harassment of businessmen in government offices must be stopped. Corrupt officials and employees must be arrested and prosecuted. The production of rice bran oil should be encouraged as an alternative to soybean oil to protect public health. Reduction in duty on import of olive oil and plant oil should be considered. Scientific studies have proven olive oil to be very healthy. The Ministry of Agriculture will have to formulate favorable policies to encourage olive cultivation in vast areas including hilly areas. Rice production requires a lot of water, so the level of ground water is depleting and environmental disaster is occurring. Therefore, as an alternative to rice, the habit of eating potatoes should be increased gradually. A lot of potatoes are produced in the country, but there is no adequate storage system for potatoes, storage in cold storage is very expensive.
The former DG said the application of science and technology should be ensured to prevent adulteration of food, in this case, young scientists and innovators should be inspired to determine the quality of food and medicine using their innovations. Determining food standards in science laboratories and exposing environmental pollution is a very time-consuming, expensive and complex process, so the fourth industrial revolution has to be applied. Everyone has to be determined not only to formulate laws or policies, but also to implement and obey laws. In this case, government institutions, businessmen and consumers all have a moral role to play. There should be government management in the sale and supply of essential commodities without being completely dependent on the free market economy.
National Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman (Secretary) Dr Moinul Khan inaugurated the session. Officials of different government agencies and representatives of the business community participated in the session.
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