Industry Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan led a four-member national delegation to the 11th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.

This year’s conference was held under the theme “Driving Inclusive Industrialization in LDCs: Investment, Innovation and Partnerships,” said a press release.

The event brought together ministers from LDCs, ambassadors, permanent representatives, and private-sector partners to discuss pressing development priorities.

Two high-level thematic panels focused on mobilizing investment for sustainable industrial growth and formulating transformative policies required for LDCs to achieve irreversible graduation from the category.

During a high-level session titled “Shaping LDCs’ Industrialization Agenda: Ministerial Dialogue on Investment, Innovation and Partnership,” Adilur participated as one of the panelists.

He highlighted Bangladesh’s progress toward LDC graduation and referenced the national commitment to the “three zeros”—zero carbon emission, zero unemployment and zero poverty—outlined by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The Adviser emphasised Bangladesh’s ongoing shift toward smart manufacturing and deeper value-chain integration under the National Industrial Policy 2022.

He stressed that investment, innovation, and partnerships are essential to drive inclusive and sustainable industrialisation across LDCs.

He also underscored the pivotal role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), noting their importance as engines of industrial growth and crucial components of long-term development strategies.

In addition to his panel remarks, Adilur served as vice chairman and moderated an informal session on the Ministerial Declaration for LDC member states.

The declaration, the key outcome document of the conference, will be formally adopted at UNIDO’s 21st General Conference, scheduled for 23–27 November in Riyadh.

The conference provided Bangladesh with an opportunity to strengthen engagement with LDC counterparts, development partners, and representatives from developed countries, while contributing meaningfully to global deliberations on sustainable industrialisation.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNIDO in Vienna, Toufique Hasan, also attended as part of the delegation.