Labourers are hero of Bangladesh economy: economists

Bangladesh has become a lower middle-income country from a 'bottom less basket' in its journey in the last 50 years where the main hero were the labourers, economists said today.

Economic development of Bangladesh was stood on three pillars -- agricultural higher production, export-oriented readymade garments and remittance, said Rizwanul Islam, a former special adviser for employment sector at the International Labour Office in Geneva.

"And the labourers built these three pillars."

Technology and entrepreneurs also made significant contributions in Bangladesh's economic progress, he said. "But labourers were the real heroes."

His comments came in a ceremony where a book titled "Bangladesher Orthanaitik Unnayaner Gatidhara" was unveiled at Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) in Dhaka.

The book is authored by Rushidan I Rahman, Rizwanul Islam and Quazi Shahabuddin.

BIDS, the Centre for Development and Employment Research and University Press Ltd organised the event.