Adviser to the Ministry of Home Affairs Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, on Saturday emphasized the need for Bangladesh’s agriculture sector to align more closely with global best practices to effectively address the challenges following the country’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
He made these remarks while speaking at a workshop titled “Local-Level Stakeholders Consultation on Inclusive, Smooth and Sustainable LDC Graduation,” held at the deputy commissioner’s Office in Munshiganj.
The event was organized by the Support to Sustainable Graduation Project (SSGP) under the Economic Relations Division (ERD), in collaboration with the Munshiganj district administration.
“Good governance must be prioritized to prepare the country for the post-graduation era,” said the adviser.
Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, also from Munshiganj, addressed the event and noted that the district holds strong potential to emerge as a significant hub for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Dr Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, special assistant to the Ministry of Finance, highlighted the development trajectories of East and Southeast Asian nations and stressed the importance of national unity and solidarity to achieve Bangladesh’s long-term development goals.
Speaking at the event, ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky underscored the vital role of the private sector, alongside the government, in steering the country through the LDC transition.
He also proposed the establishment of a biotechnology village in Munshiganj, citing the district’s potential.
Chairing the session, Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Fatema Tul Jannat expressed hope that insights from the consultation would contribute meaningfully to national strategies for LDC graduation.
Earlier, AHM Jahangir, additional secretary of the ERD and project director of SSGP, delivered the welcome remarks.
He emphasized the importance of engaging local private sector stakeholders—particularly those in export-oriented industries—regarding the prospects and challenges of LDC graduation.
Speakers at the event highlighted Munshiganj’s significant potential in agro-processing and tourism, calling for improvements in infrastructure, transportation, energy supply, and youth skills development to fully realize these opportunities.
Bangladesh fulfilled all three criteria for LDC graduation during the United Nations Committee for Development Policy’s (CDP) triennial reviews in 2018 and 2021.
The country is on track to officially graduate from the LDC category by 2026, following a five-year preparatory period.
To ensure a smooth and sustainable transition, the government has formulated a Smooth Transition Strategy (STS) with input from various stakeholders.
The SSGP is playing a key role by identifying the impacts of graduation, supporting capacity-building for ministries, and promoting public awareness through research and publications.
As part of these efforts, ERD and SSGP are conducting local-level workshops to raise awareness among grassroots stakeholders about the LDC graduation process and involve them in shaping a sustainable post-graduation future.
The Munshiganj workshop brought together officials from the ERD and SSGP, as well as representatives from the district administration, private sector, and civil society organizations.
