With only a day away, candidates for the FBCCI directorship are now busy with the last leg of electioneering to drum up voters’ support. As many as 49 will contest the polls beginning tomorrow. After a day’s break, the 24 elected directors and the earlier 14 nominated directors will elect president, first vice president and vice president to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry for a two-year term.

This year two declared their candidature for the top post of the FBCCI. One is Annisul Huq, nominated director from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), and the other is MA Rouf Chowdhury, a candidate for the post of director from Association Group. The Daily Star recently interviewed both the presidential candidates through e-mail. The questions that were sent to them are:1. Why are you taking part in the presidential election of the FBCCI?

2. There is an allegation that the FBCCI has failed to perform expectedly. Do you think FBCCI is playing its due role? If not, then why?

3. What should be the FBCCI’s role in the country’s business and economic activities?

4. In the backdrop of the present economic scenario, how do you want to work through the FBCCI?

5. What will be your strategy if you are elected the FBCCI president? What you plan to do in the first 100 days?

6. The presidential candidates allegedly expense huge money every time in a motif to influence voters. What is your experience?

Mr. Annisul Huq

Effective apex body should stand for courage, vision

1. The Bangladesh economy needs to be steered by an efficient public-private partnership initiative at all levels. Since I have had the experience and opportunity of leading BGMEA twice in the past, I believe my leadership will do justice to the business community and I along with my team will be able to spearhead necessary economic reforms.

2. FBCCI was supposed to be a guardian of all groups and associations. I feel that FBCCI could have done a lot better with the short, medium and long term economic planning. The small and medium enterprises could have been better looked after. The aspiring sectors could have done a lot better with positive projections at home and abroad; because a far better representation of Bangladesh economy at the local and international forums was expected. In brief, a lot could have been achieved through the platform of FBCCI if only the focus was on development through dialogue, direction and policy negotiation.

Amongst many instances, we can easily refer to the case of the overnight demolition of Rangs Bhavan, the overnight closure of the polythene industry in Old Dhaka. A rational dialogue with the government could have won time and preparation for all parties concerned, which would mean minimum damage and maximum redemption.

3. An effective FBCCI should stand for courage and vision. It should act as a catalyst steering the economy towards a robust Bangladesh. It should commend respect from all the stakeholders including the government. This body should lead fairs at home and abroad, at regional and international level; it should also assume the role of a saviour by providing maximum protection to the business communities.

It should recommend budgetary goals and initiate a ‘trade development fund.’ FBCCI should also actively negotiate with the financial institutions for policy decisions and initiate proposals for the government and the private sector that will prioritise SME, agriculture, market expansion, NRBs’ investment potential, technology and development of human resources.

4. The present scenario demands a fearless and favourable climate for investment. The initial fear the business community had suffered is yet to be mitigated. As much as the government is rightfully looking for whistle blowers amongst the business people to lead the torch, the business community is also looking for assurance. Working through a task force consisting of civil society members, economists and businessmen to identify the problems and solutions will be an approach I would suggest. I would also lay emphasis on highlighting our strengths abroad. Having an exporter’s background, I am confident that diversification, market expansion and product promotion could be done best by us. The Bangladeshi business community is a treasure trove reflecting resilience and will. We only need to reflect that spirit to the world. And, FBCCI is the best platform that can act as a catalyst for that positive change.

5. The challenge during the first 100 days is to consolidate all my plans on reform and progress in order to provide a tangible target chart to the government.

During that time, I would also have to focus on changes in the internal election structure the FBCCI requires. A direct voting for the posts of President, Vice President would be initiated by us with the help of the mandate through an AGM.

6. My personal experience does not endorse that allegation. Votes bought with money serve a short time target. Mandates can’t be bought with money.

M A Rouf Chowdhury

It needs to take additional role of crisis manager

1. We, the business community, create wealth for nation. We contribute 85 percent of the national revenue, 90 percent of employment and 95 percent of the exports. Yet voice in governance our role in shaping and implementing polices is insignificant. Our revenue contribution in the last budget was Tk42,000 crore. The sum total of donor contributions was less than Tk7,000 crore, i.e., only a sixth of what we provided. Inspite of it all, our governments have listened to and adopted more of these foreign prescriptions in shaping our economic destiny to the detriment of our national interest. This is an unbalanced situation.

FBCCI is the apex trade organisation of our business community, and it is thus up to it to represent all our interests. The centre of power in FBCCI is its presidency. I, as one of 38 directors in FBCCI for 6 years, have no doubt gained very rich and valuable experience, but never had any control over shaping the destiny of FBCCI. Only the president can do it. I know what needs to be done; I know how it can be done. Most of all I want to do it, i.e., re-shape FBCCI, renegotiate with the government to restore the balance of our participation in governance.

I am therefore contesting for the FBCCI presidency.

2. I am a believer in the concept of ‘continuous improvement’. FBCCI certainly could have done better both in terms of serving its member bodies as well as the interests of the business community at large. I believe FBCCI’s presidents may not have fully appreciated its true potential, its ability to influence governance and shaping policy in favour of its constituents. Holding the key to 85 percent of the national revenue gives us a lot of leverage. I mean to use that if I become president.

The main causes of FBCCI’s failure to deliver in the past lie in its lack of vision at the top; getting new president with little or no knowledge of inter-sectoral business problems; undesirable political interference; and most of all inability to develop institutional funding sources.

3. FBCCI, to me, represents the quintessential facilitator. To the business community at large its role is to ensure that their problems presented to the government and negotiated settlements found. To the government FBCCI should be a partner who will assist them in making policy choices and most of all in implementing them, covering the entire economic spectrum.

4. Bangladesh is going through a phase of undeclared economic emergency. Business confidence is low, investment is stagnating, commodity prices are staggering, unemployment is increasing and most of all expectations for the future are discouraging. In a situation like this FBCCI will have to take the additional role of ‘crisis manager’.

5. I have served 6 years as director of FBCCI and I am familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of this apex body. As president I will be able to get straight to work without wasting time on identifying these. I know I can convince the government that a partnership with us will be ‘win-win’ for both of us I have ready sets of solutions for a whole host of problems.

The roadmap for 2 years of my presidency includes holding a series of open dialogues with all stakeholders and the government in the presence of the media on Prices of Essentials, Formation of a Price Commission, Business Confidence, Investment and Interest rates and(2) restructuring and empowering the FBCCI Secretariat.

6. I am not interested in huge expenses. I am much more interested in huge voter contact and feel very satisfied that I have succeeded in doing so.