Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Fazle Kabir on Tuesday underscored the need for attaining over 8 percent GDP growth as early as possible to take the country to the middle income status by 2021.
"We have targeted 7.4 percent GDP growth in the current 2017-18 financial year. We will have to take this to over 8 percent within a short time," he said while addressing as chief guest the inaugural session of a training workshop for journalists at BB headquarters in the city.
BB and Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) jointly organised the daylong workshop on "Exchange Rate Regimes: Overview and Policy Issues".
ERF President Saif Islam Dilal was present at the inaugural session of the workshop as special guest while BB Governor Secretariat Executive Director Joarder Israil Hossain was in the chair.
Fazle Kabir said BB is working relentlessly to make the country business friendly and attract more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as investment is the key to achieving higher growth.
"BB is providing all sorts of policy supports to the business community to boost local and foreign investments in the country," he added.
Referring to BB's supports to the investors, he said now the foreign companies can run business through agents and open branches or representative offices without taking permission in advance.
The BB governor urged the journalists to make investigative financial reports and provide the people with right information.
Among others, BB Deputy Governor S. M. Moniruzzaman spoke on the occasion.
After the inaugural session, BB Governor Secretariat General Manager Dr M Habibur Rahman and Foreign Exchange Investment Department General Manager ANM Abul Kashem made separate presentations on "Exchange Rate Regime-Current Issues and Policies" and "Foreign Direct Investment, Foreign Borrowings and Overseas Investment by Bangladeshi Companies".