Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Tuesday said the government will not permit any more multi-level marketing (MLM) companies to enter into operations.
The government will also monitor the existing MLM companies. The minister said this while addressing a press conference at the Parliament Media Centre after a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Ministry.
Turning to generalised system of preference (GSP) benefits to the USA market, Tofail claimed that the 16 conditions given by the USA for regaining the GSP benefits were fulfilled, but the USA is not giving back the GSP facilities yet.
About the readymade garment sector, the commerce minister said the garment industry gets new orders regularly and though there is no trade union in the RMG sector, there is no dissatisfaction among the garment workers due to having worker welfare association.
He said Bangladesh again topped the list of least developed countries (LDC) and will step into the group of middle-income countries anytime.
Earlier the parliamentary standing committee, at its meeting, suggested the ministry not issue permissions for any more fresh MLM companies, said a handout.
It also suggested the commerce ministry to place a report on activities of the five MLM companies which got licences recently, before the committee at its next meeting.
The parliamentary watchdog recommended taking measures to raise awareness among the people against the MLM companies, which in recent times have been involved in massive frauds swindling people while operating without licences or with fake licences in the country. Neway and Unipay are two such names from recent times.
The 7th meeting of the parliamentary committee was held at Jatiya Sangsad with its chairman and opposition chief whip Tajul Islam Choudhury in the chair.
Committee members Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Motahar Hossain, Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Waresat Hussain Belal, AKM Bahauddin, Sanowar Hossain, Manjurul Islam Liton and Liala Arjuman Banu attended the meeting.
Source: UNB
