Planning and Education Adviser Professor Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud announced that the nation will welcome a political government in the New Year.
However, he stressed that the country’s pressing concern remains economic and income inequality.
Dr Wahiduddin made these remarks during the opening session of the ABCD Conference, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), held at a capital city hotel on Saturday (December 7) morning.
Economic inequality and the role of education
Highlighting the growing disparity, Dr Wahiduddin said, “Economic and income inequality have become critical issues for the country. Addressing these requires quality education, an area where Bangladesh still lags significantly.”
He further noted that as Bangladesh moves out of the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, it must navigate discussions with developed nations to retain certain trade and development benefits. Encouragingly, he added, “Many countries have responded positively to these discussions.”
WB perspective: Investment and innovation
World Bank Chief Economist Indermit S Gill, also present at the seminar, emphasised the importance of investment and job creation to prevent the middle-income trap.
He urged Bangladesh to focus on: Promoting entrepreneurship and embracing advanced technology.
Enhancing the value addition of services and manufactured goods. Strategically expanding bilateral and regional trade to attract foreign direct investment.
Gill said,“Bangladesh needs strategic initiatives to create more entrepreneurs and prioritize investments in human resource development.”
Energy and infrastructure: Future challenges
At the seminar, the World Bank recommended preparing short-, medium-, and long-term plans to tackle challenges related to uninterrupted energy supply. The emphasis on energy aligns with Bangladesh’s ambition to sustain economic growth and strengthen its industrial capacity.
As the New Year approaches, the combined focus on addressing inequality, fostering innovation, and ensuring sustainable energy infrastructure offers a roadmap for the nation’s development trajectory.