BEI 
For the members of the Board of Governors and I, it is a matter of great personal satisfaction that the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), which was established on 10th October, 2020, is commemorating its 20th anniversary through this publication. Since its inception, BEI has become a leading institution in promoting private sector development with the aim and objective of contributing to the economic growth and development of the country. This year has proved to be particularly challenging, not just for Bangladesh but the entire world, due to the coronavirus pandemic resulting in the contraction of the global economy. However, Bangladesh, in comparison with many other countries, has shown much greater resilience in withstanding the challenges caused by the Covid pandemic and the economy is today on course to a full recovery.
Indeed, Bangladesh is embarking on a major development transition; as we approach the golden jubilee of our independence, our country is set to graduate from its present status as a Least Developed Country (LDC) by 2024. The next milestone will be to reach Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) status by 2031, and ultimately High-Income Country (HIC) status by 2041. Given this vision for growth and development, the need for effective policies based on a meaningful engagement between the government and the private sector, is of critical importance. It is therefore of vital importance that high quality research work continues to be undertaken by BEI. BEI therefore plans to continue to provide important policy inputs in helping Bangladesh’s transformation based on a dynamic private sector, which can contribute to economic growth and development, generate employment and boost export growth.
Since the birth of Bangladesh almost 50 years ago, the private sector of Bangladesh has played a pivotal role in the economic growth and development of the country. It has shown a remarkable degree of fortitude and ingenuity in taking Bangladesh forward. It was with this spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship that a group of sixteen like-minded entrepreneurs came together in October 2000 to establish BEI.
Despite the onset of the global pandemic, BEI can take pride in continuing its excellent work through its research and advocacy. This year BEI launched a major publication on LDC graduation, which has been extremely well-received by all concerned including the private sector, senior policymakers, media, and other stakeholders. This project which was supported by the IFIC Bank Limited, generated high-quality analysis and put forward some practical policy recommendations. Through such seminal projects, BEI can be an important force in contributing to Bangladesh’s development as it unfolds.
I would like to congratulate the past President of BEI, Ambassador Farooq Sobhan, and Ambassador Humayun Kabir, the current President of BEI, and his committed team of professionals for undertaking and successfully implementing various projects. Their dedication and hard work have truly made BEI a centre of excellence.
On behalf of the Board of Governors, I would like to reiterate our firm commitment to supporting BEI's work at this crucial juncture in the history of Bangladesh. We would like to see BEI playing a pivotal role in fostering and promoting private sector development, contributing to improving the investment climate in the country, and in meeting these objectives, continuing to work closely with the Government. This will continue to be the goal and mission of BEI for the foreseeable future.