"All the initiatives towards poverty alleviation will fail if improvement in the country's law and order and an end to corruption can not be ensured," the finance minister told an assembly before a meeting organised for suggestions before preparing the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).

The Planning Commission, the assigned body to prepare the PRSP, organised the meeting, first of its kind at national level. Academics, policy makers, government and private sector officials and non-governmental organisation (NGO) members, among others, took part at the discussion.

"If a trader has to face extortion on the street while bringing rods for his economic operation or if a dishonest businessperson spends Tk 100 crore for a work of Tk 50 crore, how can you expect a better economy?" Saifur said, resenting the country's overall situation.

He also urged participants to help make a paper that will ensure employment opportunities for the people.

"We need employment-generating economic growth for poverty reduction. Providing the poor with microcredit can only help reduce poverty momentarily.

Saifur said ensuring good governance at all administrative levels is required to raise the present economic growth to a satisfactory level.

He asked the Planning Commission to put emphasis on proper allocation of resources to different districts.

"Our experience shows that areas having a number of influential persons receive more funds for development works than those having less or none, which causes deformity to the country's limited resources."

He also stressed continuation of any government policies, saying, "In Bangladesh it's a bad practice to change the previous government's policy by the next government."