FE Report
Bangladesh needs to mobilise domestic resources by stopping tax dodging and illicit financial outflow to help the government increase its investment capacity in preparation for the days after graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status.
Deputy Director of COAST Trust Syed Aminul Hoque made the recommendation, put forward by EquityBD and LDC Watch, at a seminar in the city on Saturday.
Syed Aminul Hoque also suggested enhancing pro-poor budgetary allocations for health and education sectors to develop skilled human resources to face the challenges in the post-LDC era.
Besides, he focused on climate-resilient critical infrastructure to save coastal people and assets, and good governance to improve development effectiveness.
Discussants at the seminar urged the government to adopt appropriate measures for tackling inequalities in preparation for Bangladesh's sustainable graduation from the LDC status.
The national seminar on "LDC Graduation and Sustainable Development Approach: Bangladesh Perspective" was held at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka. EquityBD and LDC Watch jointly organised the seminar.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, attended the seminar as the chief guest while Dr Shamsul Alam, Senior Secretary of General Economic Division and member of the Planning Commission, as the special guest.
Dr Kholiquzzaman said, "We might lose some facilities and advantages that LDCs enjoy in the world's economic activities. But we need to look forward as we can do better ourselves," he added.
Dr Shamsul Alam said quality education could be a key focus to face the upcoming challenges for Bangladesh while graduating from the LDC status as the existing education system is not meeting the demand for development challenges.
Md Hafizur Rahman, Director of WTO cell under the Ministry of Commerce said, "We, as a Least Developed Country, are not fully enjoying special and differential preference neither from developed countries like the USA and Russia nor from some developing countries like India and China.
"We are looking forward to greater opportunities to attain a middle-income country status," he mentioned.
Md Anwar Hossain, Additional Secretary of Economic Relations Division, and Md Hafizur Rahman, Deputy Secretary and Director of WTO Cell, and Gauri Pradhan, International Coordinator of LDC Watch, were also present at the seminar.
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