The finance minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, on Friday expressed his hope that the United Nations will recognise Bangladesh as a middle income country when the global body’s relevant committee meets in 2018.
He, however, claimed that Bangladesh has essentially attained the status already and is waiting for the formal declaration from the UN.
At the beginning of the post-budget press conference in the capital’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium, the minister said this as he criticised a report of a vernacular daily which said Bangladesh’s announcement to be a mid-income country in 2021 will fall apart.
“Bangladesh is already a middle income country. The United Nations will make an announcement about who will achieve the status of middle-income country when, but it has no relations with Bangladesh’s being middle income country,” said Muhith.
The finance minister informed the media that the UN committee will sit in 2018 to assess whether Bangaldesh has graduated from the least developed country (LDC) status.
“I am confident that they [the committee] will recognise our achievement,” said the minister.
He went on saying, “There is a provision of the UN that a country will be considered a middle-income country three years after the recognition of the UN committee.”
He, however, claimed that Bangladesh has already been a middle-income country. “But, it will be considered a middle income country from 2021 as per the UN declaration.”
Middle-income countries (MICs) are nations with a per-capita gross national income in 2012 between $1,036 and $12,615. Bangladesh’s per capita income in 2012 was $858.9.
The per capita income in Bangladesh will increase by 11.39 per cent to $1,466 this fiscal year, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
In reply to a question, the finance minister admitted that Bangladesh has suffered a jolt in attracting investment – both by locals and foreigners.
He, however, expected an increasing investment in the coming days as, he said, there is a political stability in the country.
The minister said there is no general strike and blockade in the last one and half a years in the country.
“I think Bangladesh has bidden a goodbye to the culture of strike and blockade. It will not stage a comeback again.”
Source: Prothom Alo
