Bangladesh will require an estimated US$421 billion in additional financing over the next five years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a latest government assessment.
The assessment was unveiled on Sunday at the National Validation Workshop on the Development Finance Assessment (DFA) and SDG Financing in Dhaka, organised by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh.
The workshop reviewed the findings of the DFA-a global framework designed to align financing policies, institutions and financial flows with national development priorities-and discussed Bangladesh's updated SDG Financing Strategy, according to a press statement.
"The remaining period of SDGs up to 2030 will be challenging. The financing gap is large, the time available is limited, and the global environment remains uncertain. Nevertheless, I remain confident that Bangladesh can make meaningful progress," it said, quoting ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky.
"What we now need is a clear set of priorities, coordinated action, better governance and effective implementation", he said while speaking at the workshop as the chief guest.
Presenting the findings, Dr Selim Raihan, Professor of Economics at the University of Dhaka, outlined Bangladesh's changing financing landscape and options for raising more money from public and private sources.
He presented the $421 billion estimate for fiscal year (FY) 2026-2030, noting most of the amount would need to come from domestic public and private finance, climate finance and international partnerships.
Carol Flore-Smereczniak, UN Resident Coordinator highlighted the significance of domestic resource mobilisation at this moment in Bangladesh's development journey.
She said: "In today's world, opportunities for development financing are diminishing. This is an opportunity for Bangladesh to increase its domestic investment in the SDGs, by increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio and by encouraging the private sector to make SDG-aligned investments".
Additional Secretary of ERD and the Chair of the event A.H.M. Jahangir stressed the need for a joined-up financing plan as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from LDC status.
Speaking for UNDP, Sonali Dayaratne, Deputy Resident Representative, underscored the need for stronger financing policies and partnerships to close the funding gap.
"Financing today is no longer simply about mobilising more resources; it is about ensuring that all key government institutions, development partners, the private sector, and civil society are active partners in the design process from the outset." she noted.
The workshop was supported by the UNDP Climate Finance Network (CFN) Programme, funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
It brought together government officials, development partners, banks, academics, and civil society to discuss the findings of the two studies to better plan the financial roadmap to achieve the SDGs, the statement added.
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