Md. Masud Khan, Munshiganj (South)

 Adviser to  the Ministry of Home Affairs Lt. Gen. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said that Bangladesh’s agricultural industry should become more export-oriented to prepare this sector for post-LDC graduation challenges. 

The Adviser made this remark while attending the ‘’Local Level Stakeholders Consultation on Inclusive, Smooth and Sustainable LDC Graduation’’ held in Munshiganj DC Office at saturday.

Support to Sustainable Graduation Project (SSGP) of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) organized the workshop styled ‘’Local Level Stakeholders Consultation on Inclusive, Smooth and Sustainable LDC Graduation’’ in collaboration with the Munshiganj district administration.

Adviser to  the Ministry of Industries Adilur Rahman Khan, Special Assistant of the Ministry of Finance Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury and ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky also attended the event as Guests of Honour. Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Ms. Fatema Tul Jannat chaired the workshop.

‘Good governance should receive due priority for preparing the country for post-graduation challenges’, said Mr. Chowdhury, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture.  

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser of the Ministry of Industries Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan said Munshiganj has all the potentials to become a major hub of small and medium enterprises.

Focusing on the development experience of East and South East Asian countries, Special Assistant of the Ministry of Finance Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury stressed on national unity and solidarity for achieving the long-term national goals. 

ERD Secretary Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky emphasized on active initiatives from the private sector along with the government in meeting the challenges of LDC graduation. He also observed that there are scopes for setting up a biotechnology village in Munshiganj. 

Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Ms. Fatema Tul Jannat hoped that the feedback received from the workshop would provide valuable inputs into the LDC graduation related policies and strategies of the government.

Additional Secretary of ERD and the Project Director of SSGP Mr. A. H. M. Jahangir delivered the welcome remarks of the event. Mr. Jahangir, in his welcome remarks, emphasized on sensitizing the local private sector representatives, especially the export-oriented industries about the opportunities to be created by LDC graduation of the country.

Former Additional Secretary to the government and Component Manager of SSGP and Dr. Md. Rezaul Bashar delivered a presentation providing an overview of LDC Graduation process and its implications. Former Member of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission and Component Manager of SSGP Dr. Mostafa Abid Khan delivered a presentation on ‘Strategies for Smooth and Sustainable Graduation, and the Role of Local Level Stakeholders’. 

International Trade Expert of SSGP Mr. Nesar Ahmed, Principal of Govt. Haraganga College Professor Nazmun Nahar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) of Munshiganj Mr. Md. Mahmudur Rahman Khondoker, founder of Yunus Khan Memorial College Mr. Faridur Rahman Khan and the President of Munshiganj Press Club Mr. Bachiruddin Jewel spoke during the occasion as panelist. 

Speakers at the workshop observed that there are huge potentials for developing agro-processing and tourism industry in Munshiganj. In this context, they called for infrastructure development, expansion of transportation networks, ensuring the supply of gas and electricity in factories and skill enhancement of the local youth.     

It is mentioned  that Bangladesh met all the criteria for graduation from the LDC status during the triennial review of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) of the United Nations back in 2018 and 2021. The country is set to leave the list of LDCs by 2026 after enjoying a preparatory period of five years. The Government of Bangladesh is attaching highest priority to ensure smooth and sustainable graduation with momentum. The country has also formulated a Smooth Transition Strategy (STS) in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders. ERD has undertaken a project called “Support to Sustainable Graduation Project (SSGP)” to identify the impacts of graduation, to provide necessary capacity-building supports and other necessary. 

In this context, ERD, with support from SSGP, has been organizing a series of workshops at the local level to sensitize the grassroot level stakeholders regarding the process and opportunities of LDC graduation as well as to discuss on how the local level stakeholders can be involved in the process of ensuring smooth and sustainable LDC graduation.

Officials from ERD and SSGP, officials from the district administration as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations participated in the workshop.