Bangladesh at 50: From the test case to a role model for development
About this conference
March 26, 2021, marked the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's emergence as an independent nation-state. Immediately upon its emergence and during the first two decades, the development partners and commentators had serious concerns about the future of the impoverished nation. However, defying all odds, Bangladesh's development trajectory over the last two decades, has not only proven the sceptics wrong but also put her on a firm footing as an impressive role model for development.
Today, Bangladesh is one of South Asia’s and the world's fastest-growing economies, consistently achieving annual growth of around seven per cent or even more except since COVID-19.
Coinciding with Bangladesh celebrating 50 years of its independence, senior academics, researchers and professionals from six Australian universities, other organisations, and Amra Kojon The Legacy of Bangbandhu Australia Inc. have joined hands in organising an International Webinar Conference at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia on 7-8 October, 2021.
Times and dates
7-8 October, 2021
Please note that as this is an international conference, when these sessions broadcast in your local timezone will vary. For more information on session times, please visit the Bangladesh at 50 Conference page.
The key objectives of the conference are to:
- showcase Bangladesh's achievements in selected key areas, and to identify challenges and assessing the prospects of sustaining its growth
- set the direction that Bangladesh needs to take to achieve the 2030 and 2041 goals
- elucidate lessons that can be gleaned from Bangladesh’s own development experience as well as what it needs to learn from others.
Conference themes
- Positioning Bangladesh on the Global Map: Achievements, Opportunities, and Challenges
- Inclusive Wealth in South Asia Concentrating on Bangladesh
- Bangabandhu and Bengali Nationhood: Leadership and Strategy
- Bangladesh Agriculture: From Self-Sufficiency to an Exporting Nation
- Energy Generation: Development and the Environment
- Education: Building Human Capital with a Vision for 2041
- Health Services: From Serving the Nation to Health Tourism
- Apparel Industry: Competitiveness beyond COVID- 19
To see the detailed programme, visit the Bangladesh at 50 Conference page.
Conference Speakers
This conference host a number of internationally renowned speakers from leading universities and organisations including:
- Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury (Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for Energy, Power and Mineral Resources)
- Dr Shamsul Alam (State Minister for Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh)
- Professor Rehman Sobhan (Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh)
- Professor Mohammed Farashuddin (Chief Adviser, East West University, Bangladesh)
- Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal (Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh)
- Professor Dr Mohammod Shahidullah (President, Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council)
- Mr Faruk Hasan (President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association)
- Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
- Professor Edward Barbier (Colorado State University, United States)
- Professor Carl Folke (Beijer Institute, Sweden)
- Professor Shunsuke Managi (Kyushu University, Japan)
Read more about these notable speakers on the Bangladesh at 50 Conference page.
Conference registration
Registration is free and now open.