He made this remark as the chief guest at a workshop titled 'Bangladesh's LDC Graduation and Challenges in Export Competitiveness', jointly organized by Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) and UK International Development, held on Monday at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club.
The Information Minister said that to translate economic plans into tangible results, they must be integrated with the political framework and decision-making process. Research and recommendations from experts will only be effective when they reach the implementation stage through political leadership.
He said the primary goal of politics is to ensure the welfare of the people. Therefore, the successful implementation of economic policies is also a crucial part of political responsibility.
Noting that Bangladesh's export sector will face more competition after LDC graduation, Zahir Uddin Swapan said, considering this reality, the government has applied to the relevant UN committee to postpone the graduation timeline by three years. The purpose of seeking additional time is not to avoid any challenges; rather, it is to make the country's economy more capable and competitive by completing necessary policy reforms and preparations.
He expressed hope that Bangladesh will get the additional time through the approval of the UN General Assembly, and that time must be utilized effectively. He emphasized identifying the existing obstacles in the export sector and implementing necessary reform activities quickly.
The Information Minister further said that economists will present the picture of challenges and opportunities through research, and political leadership will turn those recommendations into practical action plans. In this way, it is possible to transform Bangladesh's economic potential into sustainable success.
The event was moderated by Dr. M Abu Yusuf, Executive Director of RAPID and Professor of the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. M A Razzaque, Chairman of RAPID. Special guest speaker was Daulat Akter Mala, President of the Economic Reporters' Forum.
