Diversification of local industries must for sustainable LDC graduation: Experts

Local industries must be diversified and agricultural resources need to be better utilised to maintain Bangladesh's sustainable graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status, stakeholders said at a workshop in Rajshahi.

They called for improving the quality of vocational education and the development of a skilled workforce in the country.

The workshop, organised on Thursday by the Support to Sustainable Graduation Project of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) in collaboration with the district administration of Rajshahi, aimed to raise awareness among local-level stakeholders about the process and opportunities of LDC graduation.

ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan and Divisional Commissioner of Rajshahi GSM Jafarullah attended the event as special guests, and called for turning the challenges of LDC graduation into opportunities, making the best use of the five-year preparatory period, and preparing the country for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Abdul Jalil chaired the workshop. He said that feedback from such local consultations will help in formulating relevant policies for LDC graduation.

Officials from the ERD and the Support to Sustainable Graduation Project, representatives from the private sector and civil society also participated in the workshop.

Additional Secretary of ERD and Sustainable Graduation Project Director Farid Aziz emphasised sensitising the local private sector representatives, especially the export-oriented industries about the opportunities to be created by LDC graduation in the country.

International Trade Expert of Sustainable Graduation Project Nesar Ahmed delivered a presentation providing an overview of the LDC graduation process while its Component Manager and Joint Secretary Md Rezaul Bashar Siddique delivered a presentation on the topic 'Measures undertaken for Sustainable Graduation'.

Speakers at the workshop also emphasised on greater connectivity of Rajshahi with the rest of the country and called for incentivising women entrepreneurship to ensure women empowerment.

Eminent social worker Shahin Akter Rainy, M Moazzem Hossain Khan, professor of the Department of Economics, Rajshahi University, and Saidur Rahman, president of Rajshahi Press Club, also spoke at the event.