Staff Reporter :
Ministry of Industries Secretary Md Obaidur Rahman has stated that Bangladesh can no longer postpone its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, as the nation has already met all necessary criteria.
“The previous government manipulated a lot of data through the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
In reality, we fulfilled the requirements for LDC graduation long ago. Given the current situation, graduation is beneficial for Bangladesh; there’s no way to remain outside this status anymore,” he said.
He made the remarks on Saturday at a focus group discussion titled “Strengthening the Intellectual Property Regime for Post-LDC Competitiveness in Bangladesh”, organised by the Innovation and Research Centre of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI).
Highlighting the opportunities of LDC graduation, Rahman said, “Graduation is not a threat but a huge opportunity. By promoting innovation, increasing patent awareness, and making the SME sector more technology-driven, Bangladesh can gain a competitive edge in global markets.”
He added that a committee led by the industries ministry has already identified potential export sectors for the post-LDC era, including plastics, light engineering, and pharmaceuticals, among eight to ten priority sectors.
“Most countries have strong synergy among academia, industry, and government,” he noted. “Bangladesh has yet to develop such integrated collaboration. This partnership will be critical for technology transfer, human resource development, and financing after graduation.”
Presenting the keynote paper, FBCCI former administrator and trade policy expert Md Hafizur Rahman emphasised the need to strengthen Bangladesh’s Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) framework post-2026 to sustain export competitiveness and foster innovation.
He added that while graduation may reduce certain trade preferences and subsidies, robust IPR enforcement could attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), boost innovation, and ensure stronger consumer protection.
