Govt Stabilized Nation and Set It on Growth Path: CA's Press Secy

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam

He emphasized, however, that as Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus Muhammad Yunus pointed out, Bangladesh is still facing a "war-like situation"—a battle against disinformation and efforts to restore the nation’s position on the global stage.

In a Facebook post, Alam highlighted that the recent four-day visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres was a significant indicator that the country is on the right track, though he noted that it remains a long journey ahead.

The Press Secretary acknowledged that maintaining law and order remains the government’s "biggest challenge," although crime rates have not worsened as much as local media reports suggested. “While comparisons with past dictatorships are inevitable, public expectations are high, and confidence among police officers remains low. Many urban women are concerned about their safety,” he added.

Alam also pointed out that attacks on Sufi shrines have sharply declined, but some isolated incidents continue. Over 50 members of Hizb-ut Tahrir have been arrested, but he noted that public demand for further success in combating extremism persists.

On the economic front, Alam praised the Commerce Adviser’s strategies to ensure a steady supply of essential food items during Ramadan, which resulted in successful outcomes. “Inflation has been on the decline for three consecutive months, and February saw the lowest inflation in 22 months. Air ticket prices, especially to Saudi Arabia, were reduced by 75 percent following intervention by the government,” he said.

Digitalization efforts have also gained significant momentum, with Chittagong Port operations being closely monitored in real-time. “We’ve mobilized substantial diplomatic efforts to open the UAE market, and foreign direct investment (FDI) is no longer a challenge,” Alam remarked. He added that by September, Bangladesh is set to witness major foreign investments in Chittagong Port, which will have a positive ripple effect on the economy.

Alam acknowledged that much of the interim government’s initial efforts focused on fixing a broken bureaucracy, outdated diplomacy, and an inefficient police force. As a result, early reforms were slower than expected. The Press Secretary also mentioned that frequent street protests consumed a lot of government attention, making each day feel like a month due to the urgency of addressing various issues.

Complicating matters further, six floods struck unanticipated regions, damaging crops and raising prices. The government also faced challenges from low police morale, which deepened the crisis. Despite these issues, Alam reported that improvements started to show as the bureaucracy was overhauled, a deadline-based work culture was implemented, and laws were quickly drafted.

The government managed to resolve long-standing issues, such as the two-decade-old KEPZ land dispute, on schedule. “We set a deadline of February 6 for land mutation, and it was delivered on time,” Alam said. He also noted that the Starlink deal was given 90 working days for completion and appears to be on track for an earlier delivery.

Alam concluded by expressing confidence that, with continued reforms and efforts, the country’s economy and governance would continue to improve.