Bangladesh created a special team Sunday to end worker protests that have damaged the economy. Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed announced the five-member advisory committee after meeting business leaders. The committee will work to solve problems caused when tax agency workers refused to do their jobs. Workers at the National Board of Revenue have stayed away from offices for almost two months. They oppose government plans to break up their agency into smaller parts.
Business leaders met with Ahmed to discuss how the protests hurt trade and commerce. The work stoppage has blocked important services that companies need to import and export goods. On Saturday the crisis grew worse when protesters stopped all foreign trade customs work. Before Saturday workers had kept some international services running despite their protest movement. Companies warned that stopping these services damages Bangladesh's reputation with other countries.
The protests started when officials learned the government wanted to split the tax collection agency. Leaders said breaking up the agency would make it work better and reduce corruption. Protesters disagreed and began staying home from work instead of processing taxes and trade documents. Their actions have slowed business across the country and stopped money from flowing through the economy. The standoff has lasted nearly eight weeks with no clear solution.
Ahmed's government issued strong warnings Sunday telling protesters to return to work immediately. Officials said they would take action against workers who continued staying away from their jobs. The Anti-Corruption Commission also started investigating protest leaders for possible wrongdoing. Business groups said the ongoing crisis could make foreign investors lose confidence in Bangladesh's economy. They warned that long-term damage might hurt the country's economic growth for years ahead.
Business leaders met with Ahmed to discuss how the protests hurt trade and commerce. The work stoppage has blocked important services that companies need to import and export goods. On Saturday the crisis grew worse when protesters stopped all foreign trade customs work. Before Saturday workers had kept some international services running despite their protest movement. Companies warned that stopping these services damages Bangladesh's reputation with other countries.
The protests started when officials learned the government wanted to split the tax collection agency. Leaders said breaking up the agency would make it work better and reduce corruption. Protesters disagreed and began staying home from work instead of processing taxes and trade documents. Their actions have slowed business across the country and stopped money from flowing through the economy. The standoff has lasted nearly eight weeks with no clear solution.
Ahmed's government issued strong warnings Sunday telling protesters to return to work immediately. Officials said they would take action against workers who continued staying away from their jobs. The Anti-Corruption Commission also started investigating protest leaders for possible wrongdoing. Business groups said the ongoing crisis could make foreign investors lose confidence in Bangladesh's economy. They warned that long-term damage might hurt the country's economic growth for years ahead.
