“We lived in constant fear like criminals”: Ortiqxo‘jayev speaks about business’s difficult past
At the open dialogue between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and entrepreneurs held on 18 August, prominent entrepreneur Jahongir Ortiqxo‘jayev made an open statement about the difficult times in Uzbekistan’s business environment in the past and the changes taking place today. In an interview with the “O‘zbekiston 24” television channel, he recalled the pressure of previous years, the “mask shows” and the hardships endured by entrepreneurs.
“We thought not about business, but about survival”: Ortiqxo‘jayev’s confession
Jahongir Ortiqxo‘jayev emphasized that representatives of businesses who worked honestly in the past lived their days in constant anxiety:
“Previously, entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan thought not about developing their businesses, but about how to survive. The ‘mask shows’ tormented entrepreneurs so much that the very word ‘entrepreneurship’ evoked anxiety and fear. An entrepreneur who had built himself up through honest work lived in constant fear like a criminal. Today, young entrepreneurs work freely and fearlessly, as if they were living in paradise,” — said Jahongir Ortiqxo‘jayev.
Key points and assignments from the open dialogue
Area | Statement content and assignment details |
Past environment | “Mask shows,” constant fear, the risk of losing property and imprisonment |
Current conditions | Freedom to conduct business and direct protection from the head of state |
Example cited | The fate of furniture store owners who were unjustly imprisoned and died from serious illnesses |
Presidential assignment | Write a book about the path taken by Uzbek entrepreneurs |
Main topics | An analysis of business history, the period of restrictions and “mask show” incidents |
Special presidential assignment to write a book
Following Jahongir Ortiqxo‘jayev’s speech, the head of state instructed him to write a special book about the difficult history Uzbek entrepreneurs had gone through and the experience they had accumulated. It was emphasized that the book should openly cover the events of the dark period known as the “mask shows” and the obstacles faced by honest businesses.
As an example, Ortiqxo‘jayev mentioned the tragic fate of two brothers who once owned a well-known furniture store: they were arrested without justification, and one of them died after being released from prison with a serious illness. The entrepreneur said that there had been many such tragic fates and that future generations must know this history.
In your opinion, what lessons and experience could a book about the trials faced by Uzbek entrepreneurs in the past and the era of the “mask shows” provide for young entrepreneurs?
Leave your thoughts in the comments and immediately share this news with everyone you know who is interested in our country’s economic history!
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