ABSTRACT
After an extraordinary developmental journey of about five decades, Bangladesh is gearing up to leave the least developed country (LDC) group. Being one of the rare countries to meet all three graduation criteria, namely, gross national income (GNI) per capita, Human Assets Index (HAI) and Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI), the country’s graduation will be deemed significant, particularly given its sizable economy and population. However, the graduation paradigm is not only based on an eclectic mix of theories, but a number of other concerned conceptional categories also demand clarification. Some of these concepts, e.g. graduation from the LDC group and becoming a middle-income country (MIC) have varying policy implications in informing the future development trajectory of the country. Indeed, the country’s development achievement has often not been in consonance with its state of governance. Finally, a cross-country comparative perspective derived from graduating peers and experienced predecessors can tease out important lessons for Bangladesh. A consolidation of the discussions can be insightful in instructing broad policy objectives for Bangladesh towards a smooth and sustainable transition. It is maintained that the case of Bangladesh’s journey towards becoming a non-LDC developing country will have significant appeal beyond domestic stakeholders.
