Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoit Pierre Laramee on Saturday said Bangladesh needs to improve governance, infrastructure and energy supply to achieve its desired middle-income status by 2021.

‘It's clear that achieving middle-income status soon is a goal shared by nearly all Bangladeshis. However, to do this almost everyone agrees infrastructure, energy and governance need to be improved,’ he said.

The diplomat made the remark while addressing a seminar titled 'Canada Bangladesh Bilateral Trade: Opportunities and Challenges' being held at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.

The Canadian High Commissioner said Bangladesh's growth needs to accelerate in order to reach the middle-income status by the middle of the next decade.

He said improving governance, infrastructure and energy will help attract private sector investment to accelerate growth and help achieve development goals.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed spoke at the seminar as the chief guest.

FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, DCCI President Hossain Khaled, CCCI President Mahbubul Alam, CPD Additional Research Director Dr Khondakar Glamorgan Moazzem, former CEO of BFTI Dr Mozibur Rahman, Project Manager Asia TFO Canada Zaki Munshi and CanCham President Masud Rahman also spoke at the seminar.