The “Sustainable Supply Chain Platform for Sustainable Trade and Investment” was formally inaugurated at the Bida Conference Hall on Tuesday (18 November 2025) by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the Ministry of Commerce, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This platform will play a key role in making the trade and investment system stronger, more inclusive and sustainable in the context of Bangladesh’s transition from LDC.
Joining the event virtually as the chief guest, Lutfe Siddiqui, Special Envoy to the Principal Advisor on International Affairs, said, “LDC transition is an opportunity for Bangladesh to build new competitive capabilities. This platform will bring together the government, private sector and development partners to create a new chapter in our economy, focusing on efficiency, value addition, quality and equitable growth.”
In his opening remarks, BIDA Executive Chairman Ashiq Chowdhury said, “Let us create a clear roadmap and hold ourselves accountable, so that everyone can clearly know where we stand by the end of 2026. This platform is more about tangible progress than words.”
At the same time, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said, “On the path to LDC graduation, we are already working on various policy reforms and harmonizing our trade and investment policies with global standards. This effort will play a major role in increasing domestic and foreign investment and ensuring sustainable growth and decent jobs.”
ILO Bangladesh Country Director Max Tunion said, “People, workers and entrepreneurs are at the heart of supply chains. This platform will give us the opportunity to create joint solutions that will be built around dignity, opportunity and inclusion, and that will bring real changes to people’s lives as we graduate from LDC.”
At the event, UNDP Bangladesh Country Representative Stefan Liler said, “Our collective efforts to make Bangladesh’s future growth greener, more inclusive and sustainable have been formally brought together on one platform. This initiative will further advance knowledge exchange, policy coordination and responsible investment.”
At the event, officials from both ILO and UNDP appreciated the collaborative work of BIDA and the Ministry of Commerce and called on more stakeholders, including other UN agencies, to join the platform. They also expressed gratitude for the support of development partners including Team Europe, Global Affairs Canada.
It is worth noting that the platform will serve as a hub for policy dialogue, capacity building and knowledge exchange. It will also consolidate Bangladesh’s LDC transition by ensuring supply chain development, ethical investment, international labor standards, sustainable growth and decent work.
