In the upcoming November, Bangladesh will formally ''graduate'' from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs)—this fact is now widely known. The government, international organisations, and mainstream media are portraying it as a ''milestone of development.''

However, beneath this narrative of apparent success lie some uncomfortable truths that are rarely discussed. From the credibility of information to the nature of labour exploitation, the depth of inequality, and institutional weaknesses, questions arise in every aspect: are we truly prepared, or has merely a ''narrative'' been constructed?

The first and most fundamental question regarding LDC graduation concerns the integrity of data. According to recent white papers and reports from multiple research institutions, the data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has been distorted for a long time under political pressure.