Staff Correspondent

Noting that Bangladesh industry will reach new heights, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday said that his government is committed to protecting factories from violence and attacks.

"Our first responsibility is to provide protection to the industry," said Prof Yunus when a business delegation led by the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman met him at state guesthouse Jamuna in the capital.

The chief adviser assured the business leaders of providing all possible support to take Bangladesh's industrial growth to a new height.

"We want to take the industry to a new level," he told a business delegation during the courtesy meeting.

The chief adviser said the student-people revolution has ushered in a new era of hope in the country, and the interim government is committed to carrying out much needed reforms in industry, finance, and manufacturing.

The business leaders raised the issue of recent unrest in the garment and pharmaceutical sectors, saying they suspect the factories were vandalised at the instigation of outsiders, including groups living outside the country, according to the chief adviser’s press wing.

They demanded stepped-up security in the industrial areas, saying the image of the country will be dented if safety and security are not ensured in the factories.

Prof Yunus also urged the industry leaders to undertake labour reforms in an effort to win more orders from top global brands and retailers.

"We've got a big opportunity to carry out vital reforms. We need to upgrade our labour laws to ILO standards," he said.

Prof Yunus said he has spoken to top business CEOs from across the globe, and they were keenly interested in investing in Bangladesh and placing more orders before the country's manufacturers.

Tapan Chowdhury, managing director of Square Pharmaceuticals; AK Azad, former FBCCI president; Mir Nasir Hossain, a former FBCCI president; Khondker Rafiqul Islam, president of the BGMEA; and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, the managing director of Standard Chartered Bangladesh attended the meeting.