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Published on March 11, 2017
They came up with the appreciation at a roundtable on "technology and innovation, creating an export economy" at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting at the Lancaster House in London on Thursday, a press release said here yesterday.
Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed also joined the roundtable.
Tofail sought cooperation from the UK policymakers so that the UK will continue providing the complete market access to Bangladesh as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) under Everything But Arms (EBA) of European Union even if Britain opts out of EU.
He said Bangladesh exports products worth of $ 4 billion to the UK annually.
The Ministers Meeting discussed areas where the Commonwealth can work together to strengthen trade and investment links between member countries and develop a policy agenda ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Tofail said Bangladesh has already attained self-sufficiency in food production.
"Bangladesh now exports rice meeting its domestic demand. The country's total export rose to $ 34.24 billion annually and it will stand at $ 60 billion in 2021," he told the roundtable.
Tofail said the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate was 7.11 per cent last year while per capita income is now $1466.
The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged to make the country a "Digital Bangladesh" ensuring advancement in information and communication technology and turning it into a middle income country.
"Bangladesh has already become a lower middle income country. The country will emerge as a middle income one by 2021," he hoped.
He said a large number of educated youths have been working successfully in the Information Technology (IT) sector to make the country technologically advanced.
"Bangladesh has effectively implemented the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) declared by the United Nations while the country will also successfully attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030," he expressed his optimism adding Bangladesh has now become a role model of development.
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