Morning News
26th January 1957
Serve Maximum Interest of Province
By a Staff Reporter
The East Pakistan Labour, Commerce and Industries Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman speaking at the annual dinner of the United Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Dacca, at Hotel Shahbagh yesterday said, “The western wing has marched ahead of us and this growing imbalance and lopsidedness in our national economy can only disappear if fullest use is made and quickly of the available resources. He hoped that the industrialist here would make an all-out Endeavour to serve the maximum interest of the Province in all possible ways.
The Minister made an appeal to the industrialists and other employers” to give a fair deal to their workmen. Labour welfare he said, was both a legal and moral responsibility of the employers. The Minister told the industrialists, “I shall now look forward to your co-operation, advice and active role in the improvement of the economic conditions of East Pakistan.”
Mr. Mujibur Rahman thanked the members and the officials for the assurance given to him to co-operate in the improvement of the economic conditions in the Province. Earlier the President of the Chamber. Mr. H. M. Hasan, drew the attention of the Commerce Minister towards the problems facing the trade and the industrialists in East Pakistan. He suggested that all industries should be exempted from income tax for a period of a 5 years and the limit of exemption of income tax as well as of sales tax should be reduced in order to encourage the investments. He stressed upon the Government to set up the office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports and Director-General of Supply and Development in Dacca.
He urged upon the Government to take into confidence the Chambers of Commerce before entering into any trade pact or finalizing the commercial and industrial policies.