Muhith hopes to come out LDC list by 2021
ET Report

Finance minister AMA Muhith has expressed the hope that the country would be able to come out of LDC (least developed countries) status by 2021.
"We have set 2021 target to come out of the LDCs. For this, we hope to achieve the growth rate of 8 percent by 2015, which may not be difficult if we go ahead with the Five-Year Plan," he said briefing reporters at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday.
"If 8 percent growth is achieved, it will not be impossible to reach 10 percent growth. The pace with which we are intending to go ahead, we will be able to achieve our target by 2021," added Muhith.
He thought that they need decentralisation of power as well as the national budget to achieve the target as these two are the major barriers.
Muhith listed education and illiteracy as other problems. "Women development has been good and they are really moving ahead. But, problems are there in the health services sector, nutrition and food security. Food security is yet to make a stable shape in the country.
He viewed that the situation is getting normal as Bangladesh as a typical LDC country is doing well in macro-economic management.
He said Bangladesh, among the LDCS, gets very low external assistance. It is less than 2 percent of the total gross domestic product.
He also held separate meetings with UN under-secretary general Noeleen Heyzer, also the executive secretary of ESCAP and UN under-secretary general Cheick Sidi Diarra.
Earlier in the day, Muhith presented the keynote paper at the inaugural session of the high level policy dialogue on the Brussels Programme of Action for the least developed countries.