PM’s letter makes LDC graduation a political responsibility of govt: Debapriya

The United Nations has extended Bangladesh’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category by three years, until 2029, following a request from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who personally wrote to the UN secretary-general seeking the extension, according to Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and convener of the Citizens’ Platform.

The extension has placed responsibility for implementing the graduation commitments within the next three years on the government as a whole, rather than solely on the bureaucracy or a few ministries, he said during a media dialogue at the CPD office in the capital today (1 November).

Debapriya said the prime minister’s political leadership and ownership are now crucial to the process.

Speaking at the dialogue titled “Bangladesh’s LDC Graduation: UN Decision and Our Observations”, he described LDC graduation as a political commitment at the highest level of government, not merely a technical or administrative process.

The prime minister’s letter to the UN secretary-general means he has taken responsibility for implementing specific measures within the next three years, he said, adding that this makes political leadership and ownership more important than ever in the graduation process.

Previously, preparations for LDC graduation were considered the responsibility of bureaucrats and ministers, he said.

He remarked that the process has now become part of the government’s overall political responsibility.

“While technical and administrative work remains necessary, political ownership is the bigger priority. The country’s domestic political realities have also been considered alongside the need to address economic vulnerabilities.”