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Saifur comes down heavily on media, economists

12/29/2005

Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman Wednesday criticised "drawing room based economists" and local newspapers and electronic media for what he said misleading the nation, reports BDNEWS.
"Economic indicators show that Bangladesh is developing in various sectors, including GDP growth, investment and industrialisation... but the media can not see these developments," Saifur said addressing a programme organised by micro-finance organisation, ASA.
According to the minister, hundreds of brickfields across the country mean the ongoing development activities in the country.
Saifur said Bangladesh's media always focus on negative news sidelining all development activities.
"Patrikawalara (newsmen) highlights news of price spiral of different items, but never write or show anything if the price comes down," Saifur said.
He said the media did not consider reasons, such as transportation problem and bad weather, for increase of the price of essentials.
"I have seen in many places where people are rare for doing work," he said. There is no unemployment problem in the country, he added.
"Bangladesh is the eighth wonder in the world to thrive with 150 million people on a mere 55,000 square miles of area," he noted.