On 7 May 2026, a high-level delegation of BUILD, led by its Chairperson, Abul Kasem Khan, met with A. B. M. Abdus Sattar, Principal Secretary to the Honourable Prime Minister, at the Bangladesh Secretariat to discuss the strengthening of public-private policy coordination.
A. B. M. Abdus Sattar, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, acknowledged the need to reduce the cost of doing business and simplify services provided by various government agencies. He expressed that while the country has experienced significant bureaucratic disruptions over the past two years, the government remains committed to improving the economy through structural reforms. Highlighting the effectiveness of the Private
Sector Development Policy Coordination Committee (PSDPCC), he confirmed his willingness to convene the next meeting in July 2026 to address coordination gaps. He also expressed his sincere appreciation for BUILD’s continued partnership and contributions to policy reforms.
Abul Kasem Khan, Chairperson of BUILD, highlighted the organisation’s significant contributions to advancing private-sector development, noting that 725 of its 1,194 policy reform proposals have received official approval, with 476 already implemented. He emphasised that the PSDPCC remains the principal institutional mechanism for public-private collaboration. He further stressed the need to simplify trade licence procedures, particularly for SMEs, which are currently discouraged by excessive fees and compliance burdens. Additionally, he handed over a draft Concept Note on the proposed National Logistics Development Authority (NLDA) to strengthen export competitiveness. He expressed BUILD’s interest in organising a high-level Policy Summit at the end of the year to mark its 15th anniversary.
Kamran T. Rahman, Trustee Board Member of BUILD and President of MCCI, urged reforms to land policies to create opportunities to establish commercial solar power projects on unused land, such as in tea estates, to contribute to energy security and reduce import dependency.
Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO of BUILD, elaborated on BUILD’s pioneering role in private sector development and logistics infrastructure. She highlighted that despite prolonged advocacy efforts, the provision for a five-year renewal of trade licences is still not being effectively implemented at the municipality and union parishad levels.
Alamgir Kabir, Director-6 of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), reaffirmed the role of the Policy Coordination Unit (PCU) in facilitating PSDPCC activities and assured full support for organising the next committee meeting.
The meeting concluded with a decision to organise the next PSDPCC meeting in July 2026 and to share the Concept Note on the proposed NLDA with the PMO following the second meeting of the National Logistics Development Coordination Committee.