Play store
The European Union (EU) and the Group of 77 and China (G77) have reaffirmed their support for Bangladesh’s efforts to ensure a smooth, sustainable and irreversible graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.
The assurances came during separate meetings at the United Nations Headquarters in New York between Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir and EU Ambassador to the UN Stavros Lambrinidis, and G77 Chair and Uruguay’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, according to a press release issued on Thursday.
The Bangladesh delegation included State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki, Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, LFMEAB President Syed Nasim Manzur and BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan.
During the meetings, the commerce minister outlined the rationale behind Bangladesh’s request for a three-year extension of the LDC graduation preparatory period, citing the country’s ongoing economic and political transition, global economic uncertainties, energy challenges and the need to consolidate wide-ranging structural reforms.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening governance, reforming the financial sector, expanding infrastructure, enhancing domestic resource mobilisation and creating a more investment-friendly business environment.
The minister said the additional preparation period would help Bangladesh consolidate reforms, overcome infrastructure constraints, strengthen industrial competitiveness and ensure that its graduation from the LDC category remains smooth, sustainable and irreversible.
Ambassador Lambrinidis commended the government’s commitment to good governance and sustainable development.
He welcomed the launch of discussions on a Bangladesh-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and reiterated the EU’s continued support for Bangladesh’s graduation process. He also underscored the importance of stronger public-private collaboration to facilitate the transition.
Ambassador Lasserre acknowledged the strength of Bangladesh’s case for an extension, welcomed the government’s pragmatic reform agenda and reaffirmed the G77’s support. She also proposed a dedicated briefing for G77 member states on Bangladesh’s graduation strategy, a proposal welcomed by the Bangladesh delegation.
Following the meetings, ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky described the discussions with the EU delegation as highly productive, saying the bloc had reaffirmed its continued support for Bangladesh’s smooth, sustainable and irreversible graduation from the LDC category.