Advisor Salehuddin is feeling 'absence of politicians' in interim government's reform push

Politics comes into play whenever one wants to achieve something, he says

Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed has said the push for reforms has exposed an absence of politicians to sustain the work.

Describing politics as the “essence of everything”, he told an event in Dhaka on Sunday: "The core of economics is politics. Whatever reform we talk about, it requires political will and political support.

"Politics is not just speeches and rallies; it is vision, compassion for the country, patriotism, and working for the nation. Whatever you try to do, politics comes into play," he added.

Salehuddin urged future elected governments to continue the “good reforms” undertaken by the interim government.

“I have some close friends in politics,” he added. “When I ask them whether they will carry on these reforms, they say 'if the work is good, of course we will'.”

Highlighting that he faced repeated criticism over government duties, he rejected claims of “nothing being accomplished”.

He said, “We have repaid $4 billion in foreign loans. The claim that absolutely nothing is happening is incorrect.”

Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan weighed in on the government’s reform efforts.

She said reforms “cannot be completed in a short time” and that they require a broad consensus to be sustainable.

She added she had sought to work with all stakeholders from the beginning.

On recent progress, including the freeing of canals and rivers from encroachment, she said: “If we cannot sustain the reforms that are being carried out, then they will only become paper.”