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BSS-35
KAMAL-LDC-GRADUATION
Kamal reiterates hope for LDC graduation next month
DHAKA, Jan 27, 2021 (BSS) – Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today reiterated his high hope that Bangladesh would be graduated from the LDC status to a developing nation in the next month (February).
“We expect that we’ll graduate from the LDC status to a developing country next month (February), Insha Allah,” he said.
The finance minister was replying to a question while briefing reporters virtually after chairing two separate meetings on Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP).
He said based on the assessment of the UN, Bangladesh would graduate to a developing country.
Bangladesh has recently sought the facilities reserved for the least developed countries (LDCs) for five years for preparations after graduating to the developing nation bracket.
Bangladesh sought the five years from 2021 to 2026 for preparations to make the graduation process sustainable and smooth.
Bangladesh fulfilled all the criteria necessary for the graduation to a developing country in 2018. In line with the UN rules, a country will get recommended for graduation if it can fulfill the criteria in two tri-annual reviews in a row and the next review will take place in February.
When asked about his opinion over the recent survey by private think tank South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) where it showed that the poverty rate shot up to 42 percent due to COVID-19, the finance minister reacted sharply, saying, “That was totally irrational. That (survey) was distorted totally from the real position.”
He said that despite the pandemic, no one in the country is starving from hunger while those who had lost jobs due to this deadly virus are getting back into their employments again.
The finance minister also said that there is a need for looking into the methodology of the survey as to whether they have visited any village or talked with people physically.
The SANEM survey said 42 percent of 5,577 households were found below the poverty line.
SANEM carried out the survey over November and December last year to find out how the socio economic condition of the families changed because of the pandemic.
Replying to another question whether the poverty rate has increased in the country due to COVID-19, Kamal said following the pandemic, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has not done such survey to ascertain the poverty level while the government is also using the pre-pandemic poverty data. “If any such survey is carried out in future, then we’ll be able to know the real position.”
Asked about his personal vaccination plan, the finance minister said that he wants to take the COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest and if possible ahead of all, but the date is yet to be finalized.
He said that the government is working tirelessly to ensure proper distribution of vaccines and also to vaccinate people considering various criteria.
“I don’t know yet when my turn will come for taking vaccine (COVID-19). But, when that day will come, I will certainly take it by the grace of Almighty Allah,” he added.
BSS/ASG/GM/GA/1834 hrs