Harvard conference to focus on Bangladesh development on Saturday

A daylong high-profile seminar to be held at Harvard University on Saturday will take a look at how Bangladesh can keep up its development momentum and accelerate economic growth.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 11 May 2018, 05:32 AM
Updated : 11 May 2018, 05:32 AM

This is the largest academic conference in the US devoted to the development issues of Bangladesh, organisers said in a statement on Friday.

The event—Bangladesh Rising Conference 2018—is co-hosted by Boston-based International Sustainable Development Institute (ISDI) and the Centre for International Development at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Mittal South Asia Institute.

It brings participants from across the globe to exchange ideas, discuss and debate various strategies for development, meet international stakeholder, and take back new tactical knowledge.

International development partners, elected officials and civil servants of the government, researchers and academics, private sector representatives and civil society stakeholders are expected to attend the event to discuss how Bangladesh can maintain its development momentum and accelerate the growth it has achieved in the past decade, according to the statement.

One of the key topics will shed light on Bangladesh’s macroeconomic promise and reforms.

Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser to the prime minister, is expected to focus on what reforms Bangladesh is contemplating in an effort to spur economic growth.

Rahman will be joined by Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com.

Two other speakers of the same panel are Jamaluddin Ahmed, general secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association, and Tanjib-ul-Alam, head of Tanjib Alam & Associates.

The discussion will be moderated by Meera Narayanaswamy, who heads and manages IFC's investments in capital markets.

Leading analysts will explore how the development partners can more effectively facilitate and assist in solving the key challenges for sustaining the development of Bangladesh. How to enhance the role of international community and experts for practical solutions will come up for discussion, the organisers said.

Abul Kalam Azad, SDG chief coordinator at the Prime Minister's Office, will deliver a keynote speech on foreign direct investment or FDI.

Discussants will explore areas where FDI has been successful and similarly where FDI has been unsuccessful and find ways to expand the areas of success. They will also talk about what reforms are necessary in foreign private investment or in the stock exchanges.

Kazi Aminul Islam, chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Khalid Quadir, cofounder and chief executive officer of Brummer & Partners Bangladesh, Charles Lacy, president of Barred Rock Fund, and Sharif Zahir, managing Director of Ananta Group, are part of the panel.

Other important topics are economic zones and their promise, accelerated growth in power production, women’s leadership in business and information and communication technology.

There will also be a discussion at the dinner reception where the focus will be on how to promote the engagement of Bangladeshi expatriates living in the US towards the continued development of Bangladesh.

The conference is being supported by Summit Power, GE, Max Group, Bashundhara Group, Abdul Monem Economic Zone, Meghna Group, Energypac and Habib Group of Bangladesh.