Jamaat MP meets BB governor over investment scope in Nagad

Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, a newly elected lawmaker from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, today met Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Ahsan H Mansur to discuss the possibility of arranging foreign investment for mobile financial service provider Nagad.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting at the central bank headquarters, Arman said he attended in his professional capacity as a lawyer.

Arman said he serves as a local coordinator for several multinational investment firms and that his clients are interested in investing in Bangladesh’s digital banking sector.

“Since the interim government period, they have been exploring possible investment opportunities. At that time, they were informed that the government was seeking investors for Nagad and that they could consider investing if interested,” he said.

According to him, his clients have sought permission to conduct an audit of Nagad to assess the viability of any potential investment.

He said the governor told him that, as a new government has taken office, its policy regarding Nagad has yet to be finalised.

The Daily Star could not independently verify this.

Arman said that if the new government decides, as the interim government had planned, to hand it over to private investors, the investment opportunity may proceed.

He added that he would convey the governor’s position to his clients and wait for the government’s decision before taking further steps.

Responding to questions about a possible conflict of interest as a newly elected member of parliament, he said there was none.

He said he practises law to support his family, while politics is for public service, and that many MPs have historically continued in the legal profession.

On speculation about political influence following the change in government, he said he had received no indication of discouragement.

He added that the current government appears sincere about attracting foreign direct investment to revive the fragile economy and that encouraging foreign investment is a moral responsibility for all citizens.

On February 8, three days before the 13th parliamentary election, Arman, son of the late Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali, requested BB’s permission to audit Nagad ahead of a potential investment.