The government has stressed the need for faster digital transformation and policy reforms to make business operations simpler, quicker, and more cost-effective.
The call came at the 15th meeting of the Private Sector Development Policy Coordination Committee (PSDPCC), held on 28 October 2025 at the Chief Adviser’s Office.
Chaired by M. Siraj Uddin Miah, Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, the meeting reviewed progress on previous reform actions and discussed new measures to strengthen trade and investment competitiveness as Bangladesh moves toward its post-LDC future.
Presenting a progress report, Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO of BUILD, said 15 of 37 reform recommendations from the previous PSDPCC meeting have already been implemented.
Key achievements include duty-free import of raw materials for partial exporters, reduced tariffs on tannery chemicals, use of tannery waste for value-added products, and the introduction of an ESCROW policy by Bangladesh Bank.
Progress has also been made on a CSR Policy and Companies Act amendment, though she noted that more work is needed in the leather and renewable energy sectors.
A new policy paper presented at the meeting urged simplification of trade license issuance and renewal, proposing a unified national framework, a five-year validity period, and reduced undocumented costs.
The Principal Secretary highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline citizen services through Nagorik Sheba, a single-window platform that now offers 12 essential digital services, including trade license issuance.
He instructed the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to form committees to revise the Import Policy Order, implement the Leather Sector Export Roadmap, and complete amendments to the Companies Act by mid-November.