BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday said Bangladesh’s graduation from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category in November 2026 is a milestone, but warned that the accompanying risks and challenges to the economy and people must be addressed urgently to reap its benefits.

“Graduation is not just a milestone, but it comes with risks and challenges which we need to be honest about, directly affecting our economy and people,” he said in a statement on his verified Facebook page.

Tarique said Bangladesh is on the path to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category in November 2026. “What does this mean for the resilience of our businesses, the engines of growth in our communities?”

He said the BNP is concerned about a multitude of issues if Bangladesh does not proceed with caution.

The BNP leader said loss of trade preferences may hurt the country’s garments exports and reduce competitiveness; access to concessional loans and aid will shrink, increasing financial pressure at a time when reserves and debts are already under stress; trade privileges afforded by the World Trade Organization (WTO), including flexibility on subsidies and medicine patents, will no longer apply, raising the cost of essential medicines; and export dependency on one sector makes Bangladesh vulnerable if competitive erodes.

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“We must take urgent steps now to ensure our home grown businesses are not left vulnerable,” he said, stressing the importance of immediate preparations for the post-graduation period.

The BNP leader proposed a set of measures to mitigate the risks, including diversifying exports base beyond garments into ICT, pharmaceuticals and other value-added industries; strengthening public institutions to have better financial discipline to avoid a debt trap; investing in productivity, trade logistics and modern infrastructure to stay competitive globally; and actualising foreign commitments on trade facilities and green financing to support the transition.

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“Let us not leave our workers, farmers and youth behind in a vulnerable place. Bangladesh needs real, tangible progress and opportunities for its citizens before it can reap the benefits of graduating,” said Tarique Rahman.