CA Urges Readiness for Challenges Post-LDC Graduation

Dr. Yunus issued the directive during a meeting of the Council of Advisers, which was shared by his Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Shafiqul Alam stated that several position papers have been prepared as part of the preparations. "We are taking adequate steps to ensure that Bangladesh’s international stature and business capacity are further enhanced when we graduate in 2026," he said.

Bangladesh is set to officially transition from LDC status to a developing nation in November 2026, a process that has been under discussion for some time. A final decision to proceed with the graduation in 2026 was made during today's meeting.

The Chief Adviser emphasized the importance of addressing potential challenges in advance, Alam added.

In response to a question, Alam clarified that Bangladesh will retain the current benefits for three more years after its graduation, including duty-free market access. However, after the graduation, Bangladesh will no longer be eligible for most trade advantages, such as zero-duty access, and will need to comply with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs).

These benefits were extended to Bangladesh following a resolution endorsed by 166 WTO members at its Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi last year.