17th Bangladesh Business Awards

The Bangladesh Business Awards, jointly organised by DHL and The Daily Star, stepped into its 17th year on July 27 when it recognised the outstanding contributions of two companies and two individuals to the country's economy and development. The purpose of the awards was to recognise the contributions of individuals and institutions/business houses and honour their work. And as the finance minister so succinctly summed up, "The award is not only honouring the businesspeople, it is also recognising the contribution of the business community as a whole."

In this respect, there are a few points that we would like to flag. Though the government's ongoing efforts to reform rules and regulations to make the business environment should be commended, there needs to be better synchronisation between the public and private spheres to make doing business easier. There is a need for more favourable policies and simplification of rules of business which can happen if there is greater cooperation among different interest groups that include industries, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The synergy that makes for a convivial business environment, we feel, could be much better.

The Bangladesh Business Awards were introduced with the sole objective to create an environment of excellence that stands out as a challenge for members of the business community to reach greater heights of productivity, efficiency, financial discipline and modern management practices. In honouring the winners, we hope to encourage others in the same fields to emulate their work.