The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) teamed up with the land ministry, Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (Rajuk), the Department of Environment and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to provide 13 kinds of services online.
The state-owned agency responsible for promotion and facilitation of private investment signed four letters of intent in its Dhaka office to provide the services through its One-Stop Service (OSS) platform.
The land ministry will provide e-mutations, e-ledgers, mutated ledgers through the OSS while the Dhaka chamber will give two services: issuance of the certificate of origin and membership certificate.
Rajuk will provide land use clearance, plan approval, large and specialised project clearance and possession certificate and the Department of Environment will provide environmental and non-environmental clearance, environmental clearance renewal and environmental impact assessment approval.
Licence and certification are the two most important paperwork in starting a business and through the OSS these services will be available in a hassle-free manner, said Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, secretary of the Prime Minister's Office, who attended the event as the chief guest.
This initiative will create confidence and build trust among the business community and the investors, he said.
He also underscored the importance of maintaining coordination between the public and private sector in expediting the quality and quantitative investments in the country.
"It is a milestone and DCCI is honoured to be the first private sector organisation in Bangladesh to be associated with BIDA," said Shams Mahmud, president of the chamber.
The OSS will open up a new window of opportunity to both local and foreign investors and the initiative will help improve Bangladesh's position in the Ease of Doing Business index.
Effective implementation of OSS will enhance employment generation, boost economic development and growth.
The chamber will work hand in hand with the government and BIDA to contribute to fulfilling the dream of building 'Digital Bangladesh' and attain the target of becoming a developed nation by 2041, Mahmud added.
Export-oriented industries will get the opportunity of having their land mutation within seven working days, said Md Muksodur Rahman Patwary, land secretary.
Digital initiative like OSS will usher trade and investment opportunity in future, which will boost employment generation, said Ziaul Hassan, the environment secretary.
Some 154 services will be provided through 35 organisations under the OSS.
There are three components like process, time and cost that are very important in climbing up the ease of doing business index, said Md Sirazul Islam, executive chairman of BIDA.
By implementing the OSS, the process, time and cost will automatically come down.
Using the digital platform will ease the process and it will help remove corruption as well.
The OSS app is mobile compatible and there is an option of feedback to monitor its activities, Islam added.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/bida-provide-13-more-services-online-1949917