Govt to form trade negotiating body to face challenges: Anisuzzaman

The interim government will constitute a dedicated powerful trade negotiating body to address trade related challenges as Bangladesh is set to graduate from the LDC status in November 2026, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Anisuzzaman Chowdhury said on Tuesday.

“The work of forming a powerful trade negotiating body began today. The trade negotiating body, headed by a senior official of the government, will be constituted soon,” he told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital in the afternoon.

The special assistant was briefing reporters following Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s meeting with the experts on the LDC graduation. Earlier in the day, the meeting was held at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

Chowdhury said they discussed the preparation of Bangladesh, in detail, on graduation from the LDC status and they were satisfied with the preparation.

Noting that they also discussed precautionary measures on the LDC graduation, he said a committee is being formed involving experts and representatives from all sectors to monitor the situation.

A list has been made on the challenges Bangladesh will face after LDC graduation, the special assistant said, adding: “We are confident… we will have no problem in the graduation”.

Replying to a question, he said the demand for delaying Bangladesh’s LDC graduation is irrational.

Chowdhury said the government is taking steps to mobilise domestic resources and taking policy measures to face possible challenges to emerge after the graduation.

Responding to another question, he said he did not think that the country’s RMG sector will face turbulence as Bangladesh will continue to enjoy the facilities from different countries.

The special assistant said precautionary and safety measures will be taken to ensure Bangladesh’s smooth graduation from LDC status.

Speaking about the challenges, he said governance is a major challenge here.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present at the press briefing.

Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to a developing nation in November 2026.