Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that Bangladesh is advancing towards progress dissipating all the misconceptions regarding the future of independent Bangladesh. “Bangladesh is marching towards development and progress denying all the misconceptions of the pessimists relating to the future of independent Bangladesh,” she said while replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League lawmaker Momtaz Begum from Manikganj-2 constituency. The Premier said it’s a matter of pride that in the year of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary celebration, the UNCDP recommended graduating Bangladesh from a least developed country to be a developing country by 2026. To dispel the misconception about Bangladesh's advancement in the future, Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken various time-worthy steps to implement plans to face the global trade challenges following graduation from a least developed country (LDC), BSS reports. Spelling out measures in detail, she said, “The government has already initiated the formulation of a strategy and action plan over Preferential Market Access and Trade Agreement to expand the export market by facing global trade challenges following the graduation.” The Premier added that Bangladesh has taken initiatives to sign the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and Comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with different commercially important countries. Initially, the government has taken a step to sign trade agreements with 10 countries and three alliances on a priority basis, she said adding that Bangladesh signed PTA with Bhutan on December 6, 2020. The 10 countries are India, Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Singapore, the USA, Canada, China, and Malaysia, she cited. Besides, a process is underway to conduct negotiations with Turkey, South Africa, Morocco, Mauritius, Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and GCC countries over PTA, FTA or CEPA, she said.