BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman -File Photo

DHAKA, Sept 16, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said Bangladesh needs real, tangible progress and opportunities for its citizens before it is able to reap the benefits of graduating from the UN's Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

He wrote this in a facebook post from his verified account.

Verbatim of his post is given below:

Bangladesh is on the path to graduate from the UN's Least Developed Country (LDC) category in November 2026. What does this mean for the resilience of our businesses, the engines of growth in our communities? 

Graduation is not just a milestone - it comes with risks and challenges which we need to be honest about, directly affecting our economy and people.

The BNP is concerned about a multitude of issues if we do not proceed with caution:

* Loss of trade preferences may hurt our garments exports and reduce competitiveness.

* Access to concessional loans and aid will shrink, increasing financial pressure at a time when reserves and debts are already under stress.

* Trade privileges afforded by the World Trade Organization (WTO), including flexibility on subsidies and medicine patents, will no longer apply, raising the cost of essential medicines.

* Export dependency on one sector makes us vulnerable if competitive erodes.

We must take urgent steps now to ensure our home grown businesses are not left vulnerable. This can include:

* Diversifying our exports base beyond garments into ICT, pharmaceuticals and other value-added industries

* Strengthening public institutions to have better financial discipline to avoid a debt trap

* Investing in productivity, trade logistics and modern infrastructure to stay competitive globally
* Actualising foreign commitments on trade facilities and green financing to support the transition

Let us not leave our workers, farmers and youth behind in a vulnerable place. Bangladesh needs real, tangible progress and opportunities for its citizens before it is able to reap the benefits of graduating.