The following is a recap of those major stories as covered by Star Business

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) yesterday supported Bangladesh and Nepal’s request for a three-year extension of the preparatory period for LDC graduation.

The UN CDP had earlier recommended approving Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the LDC category from November 2026 to November 2029

The draft plan has since been circulated among relevant ministries and will be finalised soon before submission to the UNCDP and other international bodies.

The commerce ministry today organised a validation workshop on the programme

As Bangladesh prepares for LDC graduation and works to meet sustainability goals for 2030, businesses must make sustainability a core part of their strategies to remain competitive in global markets, said Shariful Islam, founder and managing director of Bangladesh Brand Forum.

The recent push to brand Bangladesh as stable, predictable, and open for business is a good start, and honestly, overdue.

The assurances came during separate meetings at the United Nations Headquarters

Bangladesh should fast-track the signing of free trade agreements (FTAs) and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) with key trading partners to preserve its export competitiveness after graduating from the least developed country (LDC) category, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said yesterday.

Bangladesh should fast-track the signing of free trade agreements (FTAs) and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) with key trading partners to preserve its export competitiveness after graduating from the least developed country (LDC) category, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said today

Bangladesh is seeking an extension of the preparatory period for its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to complete key reforms and ensure a smooth transition, rather than delay the graduation itself, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

Bangladesh is pursuing a dual-track strategy to retain duty-free access to the European Union after graduating from the least developed country (LDC) category, negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the bloc while also seeking to qualify for its GSP Plus trade preference scheme.

Bangladesh has formally requested a deferral of its LDC graduation by at least three years to allow time to implement key domestic reforms

Bangladesh will need to make substantial progress on domestic reforms aimed at addressing its deep-rooted structural weaknesses if it is to get a three-year extension to the timeline of its graduation from the least-developed country category, said the UN Committee for Development Policy.

Although the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27 offers some measures that are aligned with the government’s Smooth Transition Strategy (STS) for LDC graduation, it lacks a dedicated framework with preparations for this watershed moment, which is due in November, experts said.

Govt pursuing trade agreements with major partners to soften the blow, says Khandakar Abdul Muktadir

Bangladesh faces fading export advantages, prompting urgent debate on industrial policy, diversification, and institutional reform.

UN body’s recommendation to postpone LDC graduation should spur preparation

The UN CDP’s recommendation to consider an extension of Bangladesh’s preparatory period for LDC graduation is a highly significant development

The United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) has expressed a positive position regarding Bangladesh’s request to extend its preparatory period for graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category until November 24 in 2029, according to a statement from the Economic Relations Division (ERD) issued today