Dhaka: Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today directed all concerned to remain prepared for facing any possible challenges as Bangladesh graduates from LDC next year. Dr Yunus made the directive during a meeting of the Council of Advisers, said his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a number of position papers have been prepared to address the upcoming transition. “We are taking adequate preparation. We can say when we will graduate in 2026, Bangladesh’s dignity will be enhanced further internationally and its capacity in terms of doing business will also be boosted,” Alam stated.
Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to a developing nation in November 2026. The issue of LDC graduation has long been discussed, with a final decision taken in today’s meeting to proceed with the graduation in 2026.
The Chief Adviser has directed preparations to address the challenges that might arise from this transition. Alam mentioned that the existing facilities Bangladesh currently enjoys will continue for three years after its LDC graduation.
Post-graduation, Bangladesh will become ineligible for almost all trade benefits, such as zero duty access, and will need to strictly adhere to the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). However, the country will continue to enjoy duty-free market access for three additional years after its graduation, an extension endorsed by 166 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its Ministerial Conference held in Abu Dhabi a year ago.
Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir, Abul Kalam Azad, and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad were present at the briefing.