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assess Bangladesh’s request to defer its LDC graduation, currently slated for later this year, to 2029. If not resolved through discussion, the plea will be put to a vote at the UN General Assembly.

The minister also urged the EU trade commissioner to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement, following a proposal Bangladesh submitted to the EU several months ago.

According to Muktadir, the EU commissioner raised questions about labour conditions, to which the minister replied that Bangladesh had already amended its labour law in line with International Labour Organisation recommendations.

The minister further called for expanding bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the 27-nation EU bloc. Currently, Bangladesh exports goods worth over $25 billion annually to the EU, predominantly garments, while importing around $6 billion worth of goods in return.

Bangladesh is seeking the deferment amid concerns from the business community that it is unprepared to face the challenges of graduation. Immediate graduation could trigger significant export losses due to the withdrawal of preferential trade benefits.