Sara Tasmeen

BUILD (Business Initiative Leading Development)

BUILD (Business Initiative Leading Development) is a unified voice of the private sector representatives of Bangladesh. It was born in October 2011 out of strong, timely emphasis on private sector led growth targeted through Vision 2021 and the Sixth Five-Year Plan of the Government. BUILD acts as the bridge that connects the private and public sector for better communication, coordination and collaboration in bringing reforms to improve the country's investment climate. BUILD is a joint initiative of the IFC-managed and DFID and EU-funded Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SME Foundation. BUILD features public-private dialogues on four thematic areas – SMEs, Tax, Financial Sector, and Trade & Investment – backed by rigorous analysis and advocacy. The initiative has received commitment from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Bank, and National Board of Revenue to co-chair these Working Committees. BUILD is supported by a strong independent Secretariat that undertakes much of the analysis and advocacy to support the dialogue process, and assist in ensuring that BUILD develops specific, measurable and results-based recommendations for the Government to implement. BUILD has been focusing on issues faced by the SMEs – lifeblood of Bangladesh economy – since its inception. Its focus will be on making it easier, faster and cheaper for them to do business.