Bangladesh still not ready for LDC graduation: fisheries adviser

Bangladesh is still not fully prepared to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status, as key economic and social indicators reported by the previous administration did not match the reality on the ground, said Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar today.

The data on gross domestic product, personal income, maternal health, and other social indicators published during the previous administration did not reflect the reality, she said.

The adviser made the comments as the chief guest at a meeting titled "Transition as a developing country: determining the future of Bangladesh and careful reconsideration of bilateral free trade agreements," organised by the Citizen Initiative and People's Health Movement in Dhaka.

While official figures suggest Bangladesh is on track for LDC graduation, the reality is that implementation falls short, she said.

Bangladesh is scheduled to attain developing country status in November 2026, and the interim government must prepare accordingly, according to the adviser.

She stressed the need to assess the impacts of losing tariff and generalised system of preferences (GSP) benefits after graduation, warning of the challenges ahead in international competition.

She cautioned that low-priced beef imports could hurt the domestic livestock sector, harming millions of farmers, particularly poor women engaged in cattle rearing.

"We are trying to reduce meat imports from abroad because there is a risk of zoonotic diseases entering through imported meat," she added.

Meanwhile, in a virtual event organised by The Daily Star on August 12, businesses stressed the need to defer the LDC graduation to allow more time for preparation.