STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Business leaders yesterday urged the government to take initiatives to extend the transition period for Bangladesh’s graduation from the least-developed country bracket for six more years.

“LDC graduation at this moment will be a suicidal decision for the private sector -- it will be throwing away the advantage to others,” said Syed Nasim Manzur, president of Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh.

The interim government has announced that the country will graduate from the bracket as per schedule on November 2026.

The economy has suffered both local and international shocks over the last few years, so Bangladesh needs six more years to graduate, he said.

Manzur’s comments came at a seminar titled “LDC Graduation: Some Options for Bangladesh”, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce–Bangladesh (ICC-B) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceuticals Industries (BAPI).

“Today’s question is not whether we graduate -- that is settled. The challenge is how we graduate successfully,” said ICC-B President Mahbubur Rahman while moderating the seminar.

He suggested signing free trade agreements, defending market access, building competitiveness, acting with urgency, and not just planning.

The local businesses could not do many things because of

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