Economy-friendly politics needed for upgradation from LDC: Swapon

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Zahir Uddin Swapon, MP today said all discourses of the experts on the challenges of country’s graduation from LDC and overall development of trade and commerce would ultimately remain confined to theoretical debates unless the country's politics is brought within an economy-friendly framework.

“Tangible initiatives by political leadership are required to transform theoretical dialogue into public benefit,” he said while addressing a workshop titled "LDC Graduation and Trade Competitiveness", organised by Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) at Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of National Press Club in the capital.

The information minister said trade-related challenges facing the country after LDC graduation would not decrease but rather increase. The government has already requested the relevant UN to defer the graduation timeline until November 2029 with the main objective of getting prepared, he added.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the present government is giving the highest priority to economy-friendly politics,” he said.

Swapon said, “We face fewer trade challenges in the countries like the United Kingdom or Australia. But we have a number of challenges in other export destinations.

During these additional three years, we have to formulate a coordinated roadmap to reform policies, remove bureaucratic complexities and increase export growth," he observed.

Zahir Uddin Swapon further said work should be carried out to determine how many of the 157 measures under the Smooth Transition Strategy prepared by the United Nations can be implemented in the country's domestic context and how the country's human resources can be developed through state initiatives and sent to the international market to enhance export capacity.

Recalling the democratic environment achieved through the July student-people mass uprising and the blood of the martyrs, he said the main objective of the government, formed through an acceptable election is to reform and repair the structural foundation of politics for the welfare of the people.

The minister assured that the important recommendations and opinions emerging from the workshop would be conveyed to the government's policy-making level.

Chaired by RAPID Chairman Dr M A Razzak, the workshop was attended by Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) President Daulat Akter Mala and RAPID Executive Director and Dhaka University Professor Dr M Abu Yusuf as special guests.

Journalists from different media outlets and economic analysts took part in the workshop.