Post-2026 Shift: Minhaz Anwar Urges Move from Donor Dependence to Local Partnerships

Managing Director of BetterStories, Minhaz Anwar, has said that following Bangladesh’s graduation in 2026, domestic companies—rather than donor agencies—will need to meet the country’s emerging development needs. He stressed that this transition would require moving away from the traditional government–NGO model toward a multi-stakeholder framework based on mutual cooperation.

He made the remarks at a roundtable discussion held on Wednesday, 17 December, at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka.

Minhaz Anwar noted that in the post-graduation phase, the government would increasingly rely on technology and data-driven systems, including the use of data to impose individual taxation. At the same time, non-governmental organisations would need to focus on income-generating models aimed at supporting social welfare initiatives.

During the discussion, BetterStories shared its experiences from a media fellowship programme in Cox’s Bazar. The organisation also announced that, under its sustainability initiatives, it has begun offering training in ethical journalism. Course modules have already been launched on the online learning platform Ostad.

Through these initiatives, BetterStories aims to promote ethical practices among media professionals and enhance their skills, contributing to improved professional standards and a better quality of life through principled journalism.

The roundtable discussion was attended by journalists Mahbub Kamal, Sazzad Alam Khan Topu, Kazi Azizur Rahman, Nazrul Islam Mithu, Ahmed Kabir, Eti Afroz, Zulkarnain of FactWatch, BOP instructor Maliha Tabassum, and Voice project director Misharat Mahera, among others.

DBTech/EK/OR