Prime Minister's Political Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapan has stated that Bangladesh, considered a unique model, can play a significant role in global progress alongside its own development through the formulation of appropriate future policies and skills enhancement if the full benefits of the demographic dividend are utilized.
He made these remarks on Tuesday morning when Garik Hayrapetyan, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Bangladesh, and M Shahidul Islam, Chief of Demographic Data and Intelligence, paid a courtesy call on him at the Prime Minister's Office.
Discussions at the Meeting
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding the upcoming meetings at the United Nations headquarters during Zahir Uddin's forthcoming visit to the United States. The discussions also focused on how Bangladesh can maximize the benefits of its demographic dividend and enhance the capacities of Members of Parliament and government officials in this regard.Current Economic Context
Bangladesh is now an economy of nearly half a trillion dollars. According to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) October estimates, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices will reach approximately $506 billion in 2026, positioning Bangladesh as the 36th largest economy in the world.However, while this economic size reflects the country's production capacity, market scale, and potential, it does not fully indicate how the people are faring or how much their lives will improve in the future. Zahid Hussain, former Chief Economist at the World Bank's Dhaka office, noted that Bangladesh's economy is currently in a fragile state, and the dream of reducing poverty remains unfulfilled.
