ED: Growing despite all odds

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rightfully praised Bangladesh’s socio-economic performance, and it is nothing short of extraordinary that, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic ravaging economies -- be they nations developed or developing -- across the world, Bangladesh has managed to achieve a 5.24% GDP growth during this period.

It is a testament to the tenacity of the country and its people; starting with the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with all the relevant stakeholders across sectors, everyone deserves plaudits for the turnaround Bangladesh was able to achieve, be it in remittance inflow, agricultural production, or overall exports.

It is the concerted effort from all parties, and their work and contributions, that has allowed Bangladesh to continue moving forward despite the setbacks the coronavirus brought to the economy.

Nevertheless, despite Bangladesh appearing to have navigated the obstacles brought because of the pandemic for the most part, this is only the beginning. If Bangladesh is indeed to fulfill its many lofty economic ambitions, there is no scope for it to rest easy and simply pat itself on the back.

Rather, the only way to continue the onward march is to continue the hard work, and along with building upon our strengths as a nation, do a better job of addressing our weaknesses, those that are derailing our progress and keeping us from maximizing our full potential.

The 2020s are a landmark decade for Bangladesh; along with reaching 50 years of independence next year, it is also looking to graduate to a middle-income country this decade. If our response to the pandemic is any indication, we should be on our way to achieving it.