BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khusru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the role of government secretaries will be reduced if his party returns to power, insisting that senior civil servants are not responsible for policy-making.

“Policy-making is not the job of secretaries. Politicians will frame policies, and secretaries or government officials will implement them. But there will be no unlimited time for implementation. Tasks must be completed within the set timeframe. Those who cannot deliver have no reason to remain in their positions,” he told a views-exchange meeting with business leaders under BNP’s Faridpur organisational division on Saturday afternoon.

The event, held at the Faridpur Sadar upazila auditorium, was chaired by Shama Obaid, BNP’s central organising secretary and coordinator of the Faridpur Division Business Forum.

Khosru said corruption thrives wherever excessive control exists, adding that the party intends to reduce the number of required certificates, create a conducive environment for investment, and strengthen the capital market to ease business operations.

He argued that a 15 per cent bank loan interest rate makes it impossible for entrepreneurs to operate sustainably.

The BNP leader said, “In the coming days, we want to restructure our economy and politics in a way that places power in the hands of the people, not the government. Otherwise, the country will continue to fall behind.”

He criticised the previous government, claiming it had run a “patronage-based economy” that benefited only a select few. According to him, the lack of democratic practices in economic management and the absence of equal opportunities left many businesspeople at a disadvantage.

Khosru said his party would identify the roots of the economic damage and take measures to resolve systemic problems. Health and education must be improved, he added, otherwise the country’s desired progress will not be achieved.

“To build the Bangladesh we envision, we must move away from the existing economic model alongside restoring democracy. Development must benefit every citizen,” he said.

Explaining why a question-and-answer session was included in the meeting, Khosru said, “After the fascist regime fled, people’s perceptions have changed. If politicians cannot understand this shift, they have no future. This Q&A session is meant to reflect that change. Through this, we are attending a job interview, and you — the people — are the employers.”

Business leaders from Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Shariatpur and Rajbari districts took part in the meeting.