UNDP-BIDA Partnership for FutureNation Program

April 10, 2022

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) have partnered and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for FutureNation program to create economic opportunities for all.

Sudipto Mukerjee, Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh and Md Ziaul Huq, Director General, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, inked the partnership on behalf of their respective organizations.

Sudipto Mukerjee said ‘I am very happy today as for the first time in Bangladesh, the private sector, government and development partners are coming together with a common goal – to facing the post-pandemic frontier challenges, especially generating economic opportunities for the youth who need it the most. As we celebrate this milestone, I believe that collectively we have the resources needed to do ‘so’. 

Salman F Rahman, Private Sector Industry and Investment Adviser to the PM, highlighted the importance of the partnership between private, public and development sectors at the MoU signing program as the chief guest.  

"One of the key agenda of our Prime Minister is to have more and more public and private partnership for country's graduation from LDC,” Salman F Rahman said.   

“Alliances like FutureNation, will not only help us to recover from the COVID but also make the future generation ready to withstand the 4th Industrial Revolution and even the 5th Industrial Revolution," he added. 

FutureNation is a new coalition of the Government, Private and Development sectors to accelerate the future national economic growth agenda by transforming the country’s population dividend into the key driving force of the economy and enabling them to achieve economic independence beyond borders. 

Yasir Azman, Grameenphone CEO said," It is a great possibility to convert the young population dividend into skilled human resources who can be the biggest contributors to take the journey of Bangladesh to become a developed nation. We are very happy to have this opportunity to lead from private sector and contribute to the young people to bring out their immense potential. Through UNDP we will take this work forward with the guidance of BIDA.”

BIDA, Executive Chairman, Md Sirazul Islam said, "There is no alternative to improving the investment services for the development of Bangladesh and also create a congenial environment for foreign investors. BIDA is always looking forward to working with private and development partners for accelerating the progress and sustainable growth of the country.

BIDA and UNDP will be working together on Private Sector Platform for post-COVID recovery programs and activities and create economic opportunities for youth through the FutureNation initiative.

Senior officials from BIDA, UNDP and GP were present at the signing ceremony.