Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government has taken a step to formulate a ‘National Smooth Transition Strategy’, aiming to make the graduation of Bangladesh from Least Developed Country (LDC) group to a developing one smoother.

“To ensure a smoother graduation to a developing country, the process is on to formulate a National Smooth Transition Strategy. All kinds of directives have to be incorporated in the strategy to face the future challenges,” she said.

The PM said this while addressing an official celebration programme marking the Graduation of Bangladesh from the LDC to a developing country.

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The programme was held at Bangabandhu International Conference centre while the Prime Minister joined from her official residence Ganobhaban virtually.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and ERD Secretary Fatima Yasmin also spoke at the programme.

The Prime Minister asked all concerned to formulate a time-befitting strategy paper based on data and information by thorough research and survey.

Documentaries on the graduation of Bangladesh from LDC to a developing country were screened at the programme.

SAFF Under-19

SAFF champion Under-19 Women Football Team came on the stage while their captain spoke on behalf of them.

Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural programme.

The Prime Minister said that the recognition of the United Nations for the graduation did not come overnight as it was the result of proper planning, vision, short, medium and long term planning.

“We fixed a specific goal, advanced in a planned way, that is why it was possible to attain, we want to continue the achievement,” she said.

Hasina vowed to advance the country further to materialise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by transforming Bangladesh as ‘Golden Bangladesh’.

“We’ll definitely establish Golden Bangladesh… we’ll establish a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041….we’ve formulated Delta Plan 2100 and started implementing it,” she said.

Regarding the hurdles and obstacles to attain the recognition of the UN as a developing nation on November 24 last year, Hasina said obstacles and hurdles are very much normal when anyone wants to become independent and wants to work for people.

“Their paths always go easy, they’ve to overcome many hurdles, we will not stop here whatever the path is dark and full of thrones, at least I make my promise that I will never stop,” she said.

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She said that to change the fate of the people of Bangladesh she will not stop and advance further, stepping over on all odds. “This is my pledge, I know any time so many bullets and bombs are waiting for me, I never care about those, I always work for changing the fate of people.”

The Prime Minister hoped that the future generation will come up to the country forward and the government wanted to grow them like that so that they could maintain the pace of development.

Besides, video messages of the Presidents of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, JICA and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Administrator of the USAID were played at the function.

On behalf of the UN Secretary General, a video message was also played at the ceremony.