National strategy soon for smooth LDC graduation: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government has taken a step to formulate a National Smooth Transition Strategy, aiming to make Bangladesh's graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) group to a developing one smoother.

"All kinds of directives have to be incorporated in the strategy to face the future challenges," she said while addressing an official celebration programme, marking the Graduation of Bangladesh from the LDC to a developing country.

The prime minister asked all concerned to formulate a time-befitting strategy paper based on data and information by thorough research and survey.

The programme was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre and the prime minister joined from her official residence Ganabhaban virtually.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Education Minister Dipu Moni, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and ERD Secretary Fatima Yasmin also spoke at the programme.

Documentaries on the graduation of Bangladesh from LDC to a developing country were screened at the programme.

The prime minister said the recognition of the United Nations for the graduation did not come overnight as it was the result of proper planning, vision, short-, medium- and long-term planning.

"We fixed a specific goal, advanced in a planned way, that is why it was possible to attain, we want to continue the achievement," she said.

Hasina vowed to advance the country further to materialise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by transforming Bangladesh as "Golden Bangladesh".

"We will definitely establish Golden Bangladesh…We will establish a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041…We have formulated Delta Plan 2100 and started implementing it," she said.

Regarding the hurdles and obstacles to attain the recognition of the UN as a developing nation on 24 November last year, Hasina said obstacles and hurdles are very much normal when anyone wants to become independent and wants to work for people.

"We will not stop here even if the path is dark and full of thorns – at least I promise I will never stop," she said.

"This is my pledge…I know so many bullets and bombs are waiting for me, but I never care about those – I always work for changing the fate of people."

The prime minister hoped that the future generation would move the country forward and the government wanted to grow them like that so that they could maintain the pace of development.

Video messages of the UN secretary general, the presidents of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the administrator of the USAID were played at the function.

SAFF champion Under-19 women football team came on the stage while their captain spoke on behalf of them.

Later, the prime minister enjoyed a cultural programme.