A high-level Bangladeshi delegation will travel to the United States next week to lobby 54 member-states of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for support to the country's request to defer its graduation from least- developed country (LDC) status by three years.
The team, led by Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, is scheduled to leave Bangladesh on July 13 and return on July 19, officials said.
The delegation will also include ERD Secretary Shariar Kader Siddiky, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at least two private-sector business leaders and other government officials.
The Bangladesh delegation is scheduled to meet ECOSOC representatives at the UN headquarters in New York from July 15 to July 18, an official at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said on Wednesday.
According to the ERD, the policy decision on LDC graduation rests with ECOSOC, acting on recommendations from the UN Committee for Development Policy (UNCDP), before being placed before the UN General Assembly for final approval.
"Our team will meet representatives of the 54 ECOSOC member countries at the UN headquarters. It will explain the reasons behind Bangladesh's request to defer its graduation," a commerce ministry official said.
An ECOSOC meeting is expected to be held on July 22, when Bangladesh's request could be considered. The council generally makes recommendations to the UNGA on requests for graduation deferrals.
Bangladesh formally requested the UNCDP several months ago to postpone its graduation from LDC status by three years.
The UNCDP is an expert subsidiary body of ECOSOC responsible for reviewing countries' eligibility for graduation from the LDC category.
The commerce ministry official said that although the timeline would become clearer after the ECOSOC meeting, the final decision would require approval by the UNGA.
Like Bangladesh, Nepal has also recently requested a three-year postponement of its graduation from LDC status.
Meanwhile, the government briefed foreign diplomats in Dhaka on July 2 in an effort to build international support for its request.
As the proposal will ultimately be placed before the UNGA, Bangladesh will need the backing of a majority of member states, the official added.
Government officials said Bangladesh's fate regarding the deferral request is likely to be decided at the UNGA session in September this year.
Although Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from LDC status in November 2026, Dhaka has sought a three-year extension to better prepare for the transition in light of emerging domestic and global economic challenges.
Citing external shocks, energy supply constraints, domestic political transition and other economic uncertainties, Bangladesh submitted its request to the UNCDP more than two months ago.
Another ERD official said that while ECOSOC's position would become clearer after its late-July meeting, the final decision would rest with the UNGA.
"Since Nepal has also sought a three-year deferral, the UN may adopt a common decision for both countries," he said.
Responding to Bangladesh's request, the UNCDP, in a letter dated June 1 to the ERD Secretary, expressed a positive view of the country's plea, although it did not specify any timeframe.
Earlier, the UNCDP recommended Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Nepal for graduation from LDC status in 2026.
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