Shawdesh Desk: Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called upon the country’s businesspersons to stay alert against the propaganda now being carried out against the government as this was ultimately affecting the businesses.

‘There are some people (in our country) who are out to conduct propaganda (against us) as part of their efforts to harm me politically. You (business community) should address it as you are being affected by it,’ she said when a delegation of BGMEA called on her at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka.

Mentioning that the garments sector has been playing a great role in the country’s development, the PM said, ‘You should give more importance to the diversification of products to boost exports further.’

Referring to a meeting held in London with Bangladeshi envoys stationed in the European countries, the prime minister said she had asked the envoys to explore new markets for the Bangladeshi products.

About the impact of Brexit on Bangladesh, she opined that Brexit would not hamper the business especially export of Bangladesh as the export related agreements with the foreign countries, particularly the European ones, would remain intact.

Newly elected leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, led by its president Rubana Huq, met the prime minister at her office and put forwarded various demands before her.

PM’s private industry and investment adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, former BGMEA presidents Anisur Rahman Sinha, Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, and Siddiqur Rahman, and first senior vice president Mohammad Abdus Salam and senior vice-president Foysal Samad, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Principal secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim were present.