UN reviews Bangladesh’s request to defer LDC graduation: Debapriya

The United Nations has reviewed Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the LDC (Least Developed Country) status by three years.

Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), confirmed the development on Friday (February 27), saying, "The decision by the UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) is expected in a few weeks."

According to him, the CDP meeting to review Bangladesh’s request began Monday in New York.

He noted that Bangladesh submitted the request under the “crisis button” mechanism, part of the Enhanced Monitoring Mechanism (EMM), which treats the situation as an unforeseen or extraordinary circumstance.

The CDP’s preliminary decision will be sent to United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and then to the UN General Assembly, he added.

Notably, while the previous caretaker government did not apply for a postponement, the new government submitted the request upon assuming office.

Bangladesh undergoes a triennial LDC review based on per capita income, human assets index, and economic vulnerability. The country met all three criteria in 2018 and 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its graduation, originally scheduled for 2024, was delayed by two years.