"Although the reserve rose to a better level from its worst, we cannot say the level is comfortable…I would like it to be more for a strong macroeconomic stability to encourage investment," he told the inaugural function of Karim Spinning Mills in Gazipur.

The finance minister also laid the foundation stone of Purbani Synthetic Spinning Mills at the same venue, also attended by Textile and Jute Minister Shahjahan Siraj and Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas.

Saifur made the remarks responding to the entrepreneurs' demands for investment from the national exchequer to promote business as they thought the reserve reached to a position from which the government could provide some incentives for businesses.

The country's forex reserve stood at US$ 3.02 billion as of yesterday, which plunged below the level of one billion dollar mark four years back.

He expressed dissatisfaction at the country's poor tax-GDP ratio that stands only at 9 percent, worst in the region's context. "How the government will invest in development activities as well as provide incentives?" he asked.