Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to participate in the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) to be held in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, on March 5-9. An inter-ministerial meeting, chaired by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, was held on January 30 regarding the Prime Minister’s participation in the LDC5, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seheli Sabrin told reports at a weekly briefing on Thursday. The LDC5 is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the places where international assistance is needed the most - and to tap the full potential of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.     

The government wants to expedite its efforts to brand Bangladesh abroad highlighting its areas of strength and make the country a more attractive destination for trade and investment through stronger team work within the government keeping in mind the challenges ahead. An inter-ministerial meeting of the committee on "Branding Bangladesh Abroad" was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighting the preparation, planning, implementation and monitoring of possible challenges of Bangladesh in the context of graduation from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, were, among others, present. Dr Momen emphasised identification of the areas of strength that Bangladesh has both as a nation and as a sovereign state and asked for stronger coordination amongst the stakeholders for projecting them abroad. Also read: It’s US that trained RAB: FM Momen He also highlighted the need for an “open, inclusive and fact based programmes” for projecting a correct and aspirational image of the country.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called for meaningful transfer of technology, access to aid for trade and intellectual property rights waiver so that least developed countries (LDCs) can also produce Covid-19 vaccines and other life-saving medicines. He was speaking at a virtual programme on enhancing international trade and regional integration for the LDCs, held at the United Nations headquarters on Thursday. Although the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs announced its target in 2011 of doubling the share of these countries in global trade in one decade, Dr Momen said that "unfortunately in the past 10 years, the share of the LDCs in global trade has rather decreased". The Foreign Minister also stressed the need for South-South and Triangular Cooperation in the area of trade and technological cooperation for benefitting the LDCs. He also highlighted the catalytic role that aid for trade can play in helping the least developed countries. Also read: COVID-19: Bangladesh to receive over 1 lakh Pfizer vaccine on Sunday He referred to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which had set a target to increase the share of the LDCs, and flagged that the target was yet to be fulfilled.  Dr Momen referred to the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the economy of the LDCs and advocated for providing support to such countries in the area of digital infrastructure, in particular e-commerce.  He also referred to the sharp decrease in the income of the LDCs from services sector during the pandemic, saying that because of the dependence mostly on the tourism sector, "many of the least developed economies are suffering now". He also called for enabling safe, regular and orderly mobility from the LDCs in this regard. Dr Momen also demanded immediate implementation of all decisions of the WTO Ministerial Meetings in favour of the LDCs, including removal of non-tariff and different standards-related barriers.  He stressed on the importance of transfer of technologies to the LDCs, as provided for in WTO rules to address the digital divide between the developed countries and the least developed ones. The Foreign Minister also flagged the importance of affordable access to Covid vaccines by the LDCs.  Also read: Vaccine inequality in India sends many falling through gaps He highlighted that there was a huge shortage of vaccines in the LDCs, and suggested that these countries should be provided with financial and technical support for producing Covid jabs and other life-saving medicines.  Dr Momen also called on the developed and developing countries to help the graduating LDCs, and stressed the need for continued support to them for 12 years after graduation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said there is no chance for Bangladesh to look back as it is time to march forward.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh’s graduation from the group of the least developed countries (LDCs) to a developing country stemmed from her government’s relentless efforts, planning and hard work for the last 12 years.

Industrial sector leaders on Saturday urged the authorities concerned to pay more attention to the development of new industrial sectors to face challenges in the post-LDC era. 

President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) on Saturday underscored the need for focusing on agro-based industry to ensure sustainable economic growth after the country’s graduation from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs).