State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said KOICA’s different bilateral projects in ICT sector since its operation in Bangladesh remarkably helped Bangladesh to establish the pillars of 'Digital Bangladesh’. 

He was addressing a function held in a city hotel on Thursday evening. 

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and KOICA Bangladesh Alumni Association (KBAA), jointly celebrated KOICA’s 30th anniversary titled "Deepening Bilateral Ties between Republic of Korea and Bangladesh for LDC Graduation."

Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP, Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Lee Jang-keun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, Monzur Hossain, MP, President, KBAA and Chairman, Rupali Bank Limited and Young-Ah Doh, Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh Office were present. 

Saber Hossain said KOICA makes a difference by reaching out to the grassroots levels and communities to bring happiness to the people in need.

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Monzur Hossain KOICA alumni have become the interface between the two countries and continuously strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries.

Fatima Yasmin highlighted how she is ‘delighted to see that both the cooperation between the two friendly countries have been increasing over time and hopes the shared development vision and strong partnership will reach greater heights.

Ambassador Lee said Bangladesh has been making strides in growth and development despite the global pandemic assured to stand by the country.

The speakers assured to continue to enrich both the nations' long-standing relationship for decades to come. 

KOICA’s Country Director congratulated Bangladesh for fulfilling the required eligibility criteria for its successful graduation from the UN’s Least Developed Countries and said KOICA will stand together for inclusive development which leaves no one behind for people-centered for peace, prosperity and planet.

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The event comprised of a keynote presentation on ‘Bangladesh LDC Graduation and Official Development Assistance’ by Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Joint Secretary, Economic Relations Division, where he stated that next 30 years of KOICA in Bangladesh will exceed the previous history of mutual development assistance by exponential factors.

The keynote was followed by detailed presentations on ‘Overview of Bangladesh’s LDC Graduation and its impact on Economy and Industry’ by dignified officials from General Economic Division, Planning Commission. 

KOICA pledged to contribute towards achieving the SDGs aligned with the national development plan of the Government of Bangladesh and assist in the graduation to developed country status by 2041. 

KOICA’s way forward would be to focus on three main themes - Green New Deal emphasizing on the transition to an low carbon economy- state agenda of the President of the Republic of Korea, Digitalization-emphasizing resolving the digital divide between regions having access to technology, and lastly, Integrated Official Assistance- emphasizing to solve fundamental problems together instead of standalone projects. 

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As Bangladesh celebrates its Golden Jubilee of Independence and is being considered as a role model for other developing countries’ economies, KOICA’s contribution in the socio-economic growth is notable, said the South Korean agency. 

The Republic of Korea was also a recipient country which later successfully transited from aid-receiving to aid-providing nation through ODA.