Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the government will approve public projects only if they meet strict criteria on job creation, return on investment and environmental protection, as part of efforts to ensure accountability in the use of state funds.
Speaking as chief guest at an event titled “Stepping Forward: The Inauguration of RAISE-2”, organised by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) today, the finance minister said the administration was placing greater emphasis on transparency and effective use of taxpayers’ money.
Mr Chowdhury stressed the importance of “economic democratisation”, saying democracy should not be confined to politics alone but must also extend to the economy, ensuring equal opportunities for ordinary citizens.
“Our goal is to enable every citizen of the country to participate actively in the national economy and to ensure that the benefits of development reach all sections of society,” he said.
The minister added that a number of previously approved, unplanned and unprofitable projects were now under review and could be cancelled.
Praising PKSF’s role in grassroots development, Mr Chowdhury said the organisation’s activities were aligned with the government’s broader economic vision. He called for the institution to diversify its operations further, particularly in supporting emerging government initiatives in universal healthcare, education and social protection.
He said organisations such as PKSF could serve as key delivery partners in implementing social welfare programmes.
The finance minister also highlighted the government’s focus on women’s empowerment, saying plans were being developed to provide direct cash transfers to women as household budget managers in order to stimulate local demand and encourage savings. He added that the government remained committed to providing direct input support to farmers and strengthening healthcare assistance.
Referring to traditional artisans, including blacksmiths, potters, weavers and small-scale producers, Mr Chowdhury said the government aimed to implement a “One Village, One Product” strategy to promote rural industries.
He cited the example of Shital Pati mats from Barishal, saying that with improved design support, skills development and access to global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba, such products could become major contributors to Bangladesh’s GDP.
Mr Chowdhury also said the government planned to recognise sectors such as theatre, sports and music as formal industries in an effort to expand their contribution to the economy.
He said the government continued to work to address both long-standing economic pressures and challenges arising from ongoing global conflicts, adding that promoting Bangladesh’s development story internationally would require participation from all sectors of society, regardless of political affiliation.
The event was chaired by Zakir Ahmed Khan, chairman of PKSF. Special guests included financial institutions department secretary Nazma Mobarek and Dr Gayle H. Martin, alongside representatives of development organisations, PKSF officials and grassroots participants in the RAISE project.