President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called on young people to engage in business and commerce and take part in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

He made the remarks on Monday when a 21-member Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) delegation, led by its President Taskeen Ahmed, paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.

The President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters on the meeting.

The President also urged the business community to help develop the country’s energy sector and called for greater youth participation in creative and technology-driven industries.

“Young entrepreneurs need to be more involved in meeting the challenges of emerging modern technologies, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation and artificial intelligence,” he said.

Referring to low-interest bank loans introduced during the tenure of late President Ziaur Rahman, Mirza Fakhrul said such financing had helped industrialisation and created entrepreneurs in regions including Rajshahi and northern Bangladesh.

He stressed the need to reduce bank interest rates to expand business and commerce.

The DCCI delegation invited the President to attend the Bangladesh AI Business Summit 2026, which he accepted.

The delegation also briefed him on its demands and the challenges facing businesses, saying it was working to support the government’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy by 2034.

The President also called on the business community to contribute to social development and help institutionalise democracy.

He said political parties had previously misused the benefits of democracy, while a culture of corruption had hindered economic progress and damaged the banking sector.

The President’s Military Secretary, Secretary and Press Secretary, along with members of the DCCI delegation, were present at the meeting.