Karachi, 14 August 2023:

Bangladesh is ‘Role Model’ for Developing Countries says the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Karachi during a curtsey call on him by the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily National Courier, a well-known English Daily Newspaper in Pakistan, Mr. Aneel Ahmed Usmani at the Bangladesh Mission. Senior Journalist Mr. Junaid Ahmed Khan and Photo Journalist Mr. Sultan Soomro were present during the meeting.

Deputy High Commissioner warmly welcomed the renowned journalists to the Chancery. During the meeting, the Deputy High Commissioner S. M. Mahbubul Alam briefed distinguished journalists that Bangladesh has been developing in all the socio-economic indicators. He mentioned that Bangladesh has a very vibrant and a free media. Bangladesh is a secular democratic country with traditional inclusive society. Rights of all from all strata of the society are well protected in Bangladesh. The media has been growing very fast in Bangladesh. He said that the media has been enjoying freedom of expression. The freedom of press and the freedom of expression and freedom of practicing own belief are guaranteed by the National Constitution of Bangladesh, which was adopted in the National Parliament on 4 November 1972.

Deputy High Commissioner further said that the number of Private TV Channels/electronic media, print newspapers/magazine/publications has increased tremendously in the recent decades. He mentioned that the number of Television Channels in Bangladesh is 49 with 4 state-owned TVs and currently there are over 35 radio stations in Bangladesh. There are over 1,300 newspapers in Bangladesh. The emergence of satellite television and the spread of internet in Bangladesh in last one and a half decades have changed the media landscape in Bangladesh.

Deputy High Commissioner further highlighted that the media has been playing a vital role in the society in Bangladesh. He added that Bangladesh has launched the Bangabandhu Satelitte-1 on 18 May 2018 and therefore has become a proud member of the Exclusive and Prestigious Satellite Club in the World.  

Deputy High Commissioner S. M. Mahbubul Alam mentioned that Bangladesh has been pursuing the foreign policy of “Friendship to all and malice towards none” since her Independence in 1971 as was postulated by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which continues to provide the philosophical underpinning of Bangladesh’s pro-peace foreign policy. He further mentioned that Father of the Nation propounded the peace and development-centric foreign policy, which remains the guiding principle of Bangladesh’s diplomatic engagements today.

Deputy High Commissioner elaborated on the success stories of Bangladesh and mentioned that under the charismatic and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has become a ‘Role Model’ of socio-economic development in the world. Bangladesh is currently among the five fastest growing economies in the world, ranking 35^th in terms of GDP. He further added that Bangladesh has full filled all the criteria for the graduation to developing country from the LDC status and has been confirmed to be graduated from the LDC in 2026. The present per capita income of Bangladesh is USD2824.

Deputy High Commissioner further briefed that Bangladesh has completed or has been working on many mega projects such as the Padma Bridge, which is opened on 25 June 2022. The Padma Bridge is constructed with the own finance worth over US$3.8billion. He also mentioned few other mega projects such as the Metro Rail (opened on 28 December 2022), Karnaphuli River Tunnel-the first even under the river tunnel in South Asia, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Deep-Sea Port, Bangabandhu Satellite-1.

Bangladesh is 2^nd in RMG production and export. Over 12 million Bangladesh nationals live in over 180 countries and Bangladesh is 8^th in Remittance receipt amounting over US$25 billion a year. Bangladesh’s foreign currency reserve reached up to US$48billion. Total annual Exports of Bangladesh is over US$55 billion. Bangladesh has been working hard for the annual export of US$100 billion by 2030.

Bangladesh will a trillion dollar Economy and the 9^th largest consumer market in the world by 2041. Government of Bangladesh has been striving hard to implement “Vision-2041” to turn Bangladesh into an upper middle-income country by 2031 and Developed and Smart Bangladesh by 2041 and building a prosperous and climate-resilient delta by 2100.

Deputy High Commissioner emphasized that the potential of trade and commerce and investment in Bangladesh is huge. Items such as raw jute and jute products, tea, chemical fertilizer, garments, leather and lather products, plastic items, ceramic products, and pharmaceutical products and so forth are few of the export items.

The Editor-in-Chief of the Daily National Courier highly appreciated the impressive and exemplary development of Bangladesh, which is truly an encouraging example of a ‘Role Model’ for many developing countries. He expressed his willingness for wider cooperation with the Mission of Bangladesh in Karachi for the promotion of mutually beneficial relationships between the two countries.