LDC
Women's role crucial for further dev of Bangladesh: BGMEA chief
Women have made a significant contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the country in the last 50 years, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan said Saturday.
"Bangladesh has emerged as a role model of development in the world. The country has qualified to graduate into a developing nation from a least developed country (LDC)," he said.
"All people of Bangladesh – both men and women – are behind the achievements of the country," Faruque added.
Read: BGMEA requests EU to continue duty benefit for 12 years after LDC graduation
He was addressing a programme organised by Women and e-Commerce (WE) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Independence and the 4th anniversary of the organisation.
Faruque said, "Defying various odds, women are making their marks in different fields, including politics, government, business, and service. "Bangladesh has an immense opportunity to grow further where women have a great role to play."
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen attended the programme as the chief guest.
Read: BGMEA urges govt to speed up airport dev projects
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for information and communication technology, and Meher Afroze Chumki, former state minister for women and children affairs, were present.
Director of Giant Group Sharmeen Hassan Tithi also attended the event.
GSP+ probably to be way forward in post-LDC period: EU Ambassador
Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Ambassador Rensje Teerink has said Bangladesh, with the graduation, needs to follow the core issues related to the GSP Plus in detail because “GSP Plus will probably be the way forward”.
She said the current GSP regulation only applies to human and labour rights conventions but the new regulations will be extended to environmental protection and good governance issues.
The Ambassador was delivering her keynote speech at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-European Union Relations: Prognosis for the Future” premiered on Thursday.
Read: Rohingya issue not to disappear from agenda despite new global challenges: EU
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Distinguished Fellow at Centre for Policy Dialogue Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, former BGMEA President and Chairperson of Mohammadi Group Dr Rubana Huq, founder Chairman of Policy Research Institute Dr Zaidi Sattar and Prof at International Relations Department of Dhaka University Imtiaz Ahmed and Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim comprised the panel of discussants.
The EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) gives developing countries a special incentive to pursue sustainable development and good governance.
Eligible countries have to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, the environment and good governance. In return, the EU cuts its import duties to zero on more than two thirds of the tariff lines of their exports.
The EU Ambassador said the current GSP regulation will expire on December 31, 2023 but there will be a grace period beyond 31st of December, 2023.
Ambassador Teerink said some progress needs to be made on labour rights issues as they are not yet there. “This is really important. We always advocate for Bangladesh.”
The EU provides possibly the best possible deal in duty-free quota-free (DFQF) market access for products particularly for the apparels. Some 45 percent of Bangladesh's total export goes to the European Union.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya sought an extension of the existing DFQF market access for Bangladesh to the European market by nine years beyond the three years of leeway after the graduation.
“We can still enjoy the duty-free quota-free market access after 2026 up to 2029. This has to be extended. It’s a must,” he said as Bangladesh is going to miss out on the LDC category specific preferences and privileges extended by its international development partners.
The economist shared three key points analyzing Bangladesh’s relations with the EU.
These are - an appreciation of EU as a very substantive development economic and humanitarian assistance related part, the future role of EU as a potential actor in the structural transformation of Bangladesh economy particularly in the post-LDC graduation period and the role of EU for creating and enabling global environment for an open economy for Bangladesh to sustain in the future.
Debapriya said there is a proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on behalf of the LDC group to extend the DFQF facility up to 12 years.
“I say three years is very low and 12 years may look very long. But nine years must,” he said, adding that they are asking for an extension of the leeway period reasonably beyond three years.
Rubana Huq said all relevant works are in progress and they are on the right track, just hoping that things will be better.
She talked about the environment and good governance along with the human rights and labour rights and the new GSP which scare the industry because many of them are not linked to what goes on there. “It becomes increasingly difficult for them to be that compliant.”
On product diversification, Rubana said the country concept of Bangladesh, unfortunately, does not support value addition and they still have got stuck in limited products. “Nobody really thinks of sourcing suits from Bangladesh or something better from Bangladesh.”
Read: EU wants to see Bangladesh as “important actor” among Bay of Bengal littorals
Continuation of drugs patent waiver for Bangladesh can help others
The World Trade Organization (WTO) should continue drugs patent waiver for Bangladesh as the country graduates from the club of least developed countries (LDC) in 2024.
As an LDC, Bangladesh is enjoying exemption from the patent rights and conditions set by the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Read: WTO to start Covid-19 vaccine supply negotiations amid clash on patents
After 2024, the country will need to comply with TRIPS. However, the extension of the TRIPS waiver for Bangladesh will directly benefit developed countries along with other LDCs and developing countries as they will be able to import low-cost medicines from here.
Experts said this at the "Emerging Issues in Access to Treatment for Covid-19 in Bangladesh" jointly organised by Equity BD, People's Health Movement Bangladesh and the Third World Network.
Read: More support easing vaccine patent rules, but hurdles remain
KM Gopakumar, senior researcher and legal advisor at the Third World Network, said: "People in developing countries and LDCs need access to vaccines and other health products to survive the pandemic, which requires widespread availability of these health products."
"TRIPS waiver offers the policy space to do away with the IP monopoly and facilitate the scaling up or production through diversification of the manufacturing base. Also, there is an urgent need to negotiate a smooth transition period for graduating LDCs to address concerns on matters affecting peoples' health," he added.
Bangladesh must assess post-graduation IPR implications, says Debapriya
Bangladesh urgently needs to assess the possible implications of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to overcome the challenges during the post-LDC graduation, eminent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya has said.
He said the IPR issues should be actively embed in the country’s LDC transition strategy, looking beyond the pharmaceutical waiver facility under the TRIPS Agreement of the World Trade Organisation.
Now only market access for exports and pharmaceutical waiver-related issues are getting overwhelming focus in the country’s LDC graduation discourse, the distinguished fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said in an interview with UNB on Wednesday.
READ: Dhaka-Beijing ties can be prime mover for Bangladesh’s transformation: Debapriya
Bhattacharya said in the post-graduation phase Bangladesh will have to maintain standards providing protection to patents, copyright, industrial designs and undisclosed information, among others. The country will have to provide remedies against such infringements, he said
But the IPR-related concerns remain the most under-stated in the discussion despite the knowledge that economy will be the future of the country and also the world, he added.
Available IPR expertise in Bangladesh is possibly least mobilised in the context of articulating smooth LDC transition strategy, he said pointing to the huge challenge in case of losing duty-free quota-free market access and pharmaceutical waiver during its post-graduation era after 2026.
Read Bangladesh prepares to face challenges after transition from LDC
“Though important IP-related initiatives are seen in both the public and private sectors of the country, these progressive efforts are yet to be connected to LDC graduation fallouts,” said Dr Debapriya, a former Bangladesh Ambassador to WTO.
He said no IPR issue beyond the pharmaceutical waiver facility under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) has attracted attention in Bangladesh. “Even here, we pursue a benign defensive strategy asking for more transition time, not a constructively operative strategy to prepare the country for the post-transitional phase with necessary ISMs.”
Alongside the assessment of IP implications, Bangladesh should identify IP issues for availing international support measures (ISMs) for its graduation from the group of least developed countries (LDCs), he said.
READ: Protect consumption, promote employment in next budget: Debapriya
“It is essential to embed IP dimensions in transitional strategy and form a dedicated team under the national task force to find out the ways to address the IP-related challenges,” said the economist.
Bangladesh also needs to identify IP stakeholders clearly and organise them to address the IP concerns, said the public policy analyst.
While the National Task Force responsible for designing the country's graduation strategy has a sub-committee on IP, it is important to have a more open and wide-ranging discussion with stakeholders in this regard. The proposed IP related need assessment would also benefit from such an inclusive approach.
Read Potential export sectors need support after LDC graduation: Experts
About the country’s IP progress, Dr Debapriya mentioned that National Innovation and Intellectual Property Policy 2018 was framed, the copyright law was updated to bring it in line with the digital environment and IP institutions like Bangladesh IP Forum were established.
Besides, a discussion started to get the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and Madrid System membership under the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for international protection of trademark. There is a growing interest regarding IP issues amongst IT start-ups and tech entrepreneurs; he went on.
However, Bangladesh needs to create an integrated IP governance system in the country by reviewing the mandates of the copyright office and trademark office as well as taking on board new issues like intangible products and IT-based products, he suggested.
Read Dhaka seeks incentive-based package for sustainable graduation of LDCs
Dr Debapriya, a member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (UN CDP), said IP intensive goods and services are now an important component of exports and imports in the world. This aspect has to be kept in mind as we articulate our LDC transition strategy.
He said intangible capital like technology, hardware and software and branding contributes twice as much as tangible capital to the total value of manufactured goods, while average workers in an IP-intensive industry can earn some 46 per cent more than counterparts in a non-IP industry, he said adding that the charges for the use of IP were total US$ 409 billion across the world in 2019.
All the recently concluded bilateral and regional trade agreements across the world had IP-related clauses in them. The recently concluded Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes a chapter on intellectual property rights-related issues. As Bangladesh prepares to ink a number of bilateral free trade agreements, the country has to be prepared on how to go about IP protection issues in these prospective treaties.
Read Access to Covid vaccines top priority for LDCs: Dhaka
Bangladesh prepares to face challenges after transition from LDC
Bangladesh is focusing on bilateral free and preferential trade deals as a strategy to overcome the possible losses of global trade concessions after its graduation to a developing economy.
Studies on the feasibility of signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with a number of countries have been completed, according to an official document.
Read:TRIPS transition period for LDCs extended by 13 years
The countries and organisations include Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Eurasian Economic Commission.
The possibility of Bangladesh signing such trade agreements with China, Myanmar, Nigeria, Mali, Macedonia, Mauritius, Jordan, USA, Iraq and Lebanon is also being explored.
Meanwhile, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and India is also on the anvil.
Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) and Indian Foreign Trade Institute are preparing a report on a joint study on CEPA.
Read Dhaka-Beijing ties can be prime mover for Bangladesh’s transformation: Debapriya
The CEPA is a bit different from FTAs as it covers a lot of issues such as trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and e-commerce.
Bangladesh has signed a bilateral PTA with Bhutan on December 6, 2020. Under the agreement, 34 Bhutanese products will get duty-free access to the Bangladeshi market and 100 Bangladesh products to get similar access to Bhutan.
The commodities from Bangladesh include baby clothes and clothing accessories, men's trousers and shorts, jackets and blazers, jute and jute goods, leather and leather goods, dry cell battery, fan, watch, potato, condensed milk, cement, toothbrush, plywood, particle board, mineral and carbonated water, green tea, orange juice, pineapple juice, and guava juice.
Read:Dhaka seeks incentive-based package for sustainable graduation of LDCs
The 34 products from Bhutan that will get duty-free access to the Bangladesh market include orange, apple, ginger, fruit juice, milk, natural honey, wheat flour, homogenised preparations of jams, fruit jellies, marmalades, food preparations of soybeans, mineral water, wheat bran, quartzite, cement clinker, limestone, wooden particle boards, and wooden furniture.
Both the countries will be able to increase the number of items gradually through consultation.
PTA negotiations with Nepal are at the final stage.
Read BGMEA discusses export, FDI opportunities with Bangladesh envoy
Dhaka-Beijing ties can be prime mover for Bangladesh’s transformation: Debapriya
Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya has said there is a full potential for Bangladesh-China relationship to be a prime mover for the economic and social transformation of Bangladesh in the next decade.
He, however, said it will largely depend on how they prepare for it, address the prerequisites and be careful about the pitfalls which lie in their way.
The economist said Bangladesh must insist that duty-free quota-free (DFQF) market access extended by China to Bangladesh has to be extended beyond the graduation (of Bangladesh from the LDC group).
Also read: Rohingya Repatriation: Beijing assures to act as bridge to facilitate early results
“Because, beyond graduation, we’ll still need market access support from our developing partners, including the South-South partners,” he said while addressing a virtual roundtable.
Dr Debapriya hoped that China will declare that the duty-free quota-free market access will be available for Bangladesh, at least for the first nine years after the graduation.
“The European Union and others are being persuaded to do so. The issue is on the table at the WTO. Thankfully, China, India and other southern countries are supporting us over there - the LDC group’s proposal,” he added.
Due to the pandemic, the bilateral trade volume was dented with a 13.6% drop to 15.9 billion dollars last year.
However, the “resilience and dynamism” of the two economies make it reasonable to expect a huge rebound this year.
According to statistics from China Customs, the trade volume in the first four months of 2021 is 7.19 billion dollars with a 42.9% year-on increase.
Also read: Never worry about any 'debt trap': Beijing to Dhaka
China’s export to and import from Bangladesh stand at 6.84 billion and 350 million dollars, growing by 43.8% and 28.1% respectively.
Last year, China granted 97% duty-free treatment to Bangladeshi products, which is seen as an important step towards a higher level of bilateral trade liberalization.
Earlier, Dr Debapriya said, Bangladesh used to export over 5,000 goods and now another 3000 goods have been added to it. “So, we can export 8,256 items to the Chinese market, which is a great achievement.”
He said the Bangladesh-China relationship needs to be understood in the global context and also in the regional context not only in the bilateral context.
Debapriya said it is important that they get China more involved in creating the regional and global value chain in Bangladesh. “Bangladesh and China should be together in the global and regional value chain.”
Also read: Experts for building brighter future keeping growing Dhaka-Beijing ties unaffected amidst geopolitics
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming delivered the keynote speech at the virtual roundtable titled “Bangladesh China Relations: Prognosis of the Future.” It was hosted by the Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, as part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman, Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Ambassador (retd) Tariq A. Karim, CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, former Foreign Secretary Shamsher Chowdhury BB, Assistant Researcher of the Institute for International Studies at Yunnan University Dr Zou Yingmeng, Assistant Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies Dr Ning Shengnan, former Ambassador Serajul Islam and Dhaka University Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir comprised the panel of discussants.
TRIPS transition period for LDCs extended by 13 years
The transition period of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) for theLDCs has been extended by another 13 years.
Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in Geneva said the negotiation was not smooth at all and the developed countries - particularly, the US and the European Union were not agreeable to such a long transition period.
Read: Bangladesh to seek LDC benefits for 5 years after graduation
“This special transition period will remain in force till 1 July 2034. With this achievement, we’re delighted,” he said.
After a long and intense negotiation among the members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a proposal in this regard has been adopted by consensus in the TRIPS Council.
Bangladesh played a leadership role in this negotiation on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), said the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in Geneva on Wednesday.
This is the longest extension up till now. Mentionable, earlier there were such extensions for periods of seven and eight years.
The Ambassador said Bangladesh is soon going to graduate from the list of the LDCs. “Despite that, we were inclined to find a long term transition period for the LDCs so that they don’t need to sit for negotiation frequently.”
Read:Work together to tackle negative impacts after LDC graduation
Bangladesh has been playing a leadership role on behalf of the LDCs in various international negotiations.
Currently, another proposal with regard to LDC graduation is under consideration in the General Council of WTO.
Bangladesh is also leading the LDCs in this negotiation.
At present Chad of Africa is playing the role of Coordinator in the organization but on the matters of trade and intellectual property rights, Bangladesh is leading the negotiations in the WTO.
BGMEA discusses export, FDI opportunities with Bangladesh envoy
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has sought the support of the Bangladesh High Commission in London regarding non-payment by some of the British brands to their Bangladeshi suppliers during the Covid-19 crisis.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at the latter’s office and discussed trade related issues.
Read:BGMEA seeks 10-yr extension of GSP in Swiss market
BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali was also present at the meeting.
They discussed various trade issues including export opportunities for Bangladesh in the UK market and generating ways to attract more foreign direct investment from the country.
Read: BGMEA chief underlines importance of enhanced productivity
The discussions also encompassed issues regarding graduation of Bangladesh from LDC, possible changes in the tariff regime and how Bangladesh could retain its market access in the post-LDC status in the UK.
Dhaka seeks incentive-based package for sustainable graduation of LDCs
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday called for an incentive-based and long-term package for the graduating and graduated countries from LDCs as they are at a high risk of sliding back -- both due to the Covid-19 impacts and the loss of LDC specific support measures.
The Foreign Minister said most of the LDCs have limited fiscal buffers and absence of ex-ante insurance schemes against shocks, which make their graduation trajectory highly challenging.
Read:Record high 82 million-plus people displaced despite Covid: UN
Dr Momen was speaking as a keynote speaker at a high-level virtual event on ‘Building Resilience for Sustainable and Irreversible Graduation of the LDCs’ hosted by the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Canada and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS).
He underlined the importance of adequate financing and resources as critical means for LDCs to keep pace with graduation expectations.
Dr Momen emphasised that LDCs need enhanced financing support to mitigate critical deficits in physical and institutional infrastructure and capacity building.
Eisenhower Mkaka, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malawi and the Chair of the Global coordination bureau of the LDCs, also delivered a keynote speech at the event.
Read:Bangladesh elected FAO Council member
Dhaka calls for tech transfer & IPR waiver to produce Covid jabs
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called for meaningful transfer of technology, access to aid for trade and intellectual property rights waiver so that least developed countries (LDCs) can also produce Covid-19 vaccines and other life-saving medicines.
He was speaking at a virtual programme on enhancing international trade and regional integration for the LDCs, held at the United Nations headquarters on Thursday.
Although the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs announced its target in 2011 of doubling the share of these countries in global trade in one decade, Dr Momen said that "unfortunately in the past 10 years, the share of the LDCs in global trade has rather decreased".
The Foreign Minister also stressed the need for South-South and Triangular Cooperation in the area of trade and technological cooperation for benefitting the LDCs. He also highlighted the catalytic role that aid for trade can play in helping the least developed countries.
Also read: COVID-19: Bangladesh to receive over 1 lakh Pfizer vaccine on Sunday
He referred to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which had set a target to increase the share of the LDCs, and flagged that the target was yet to be fulfilled.
Dr Momen referred to the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the economy of the LDCs and advocated for providing support to such countries in the area of digital infrastructure, in particular e-commerce.
He also referred to the sharp decrease in the income of the LDCs from services sector during the pandemic, saying that because of the dependence mostly on the tourism sector, "many of the least developed economies are suffering now".
He also called for enabling safe, regular and orderly mobility from the LDCs in this regard.
Dr Momen also demanded immediate implementation of all decisions of the WTO Ministerial Meetings in favour of the LDCs, including removal of non-tariff and different standards-related barriers.
He stressed on the importance of transfer of technologies to the LDCs, as provided for in WTO rules to address the digital divide between the developed countries and the least developed ones.
The Foreign Minister also flagged the importance of affordable access to Covid vaccines by the LDCs.
Also read: Vaccine inequality in India sends many falling through gaps
He highlighted that there was a huge shortage of vaccines in the LDCs, and suggested that these countries should be provided with financial and technical support for producing Covid jabs and other life-saving medicines.
Dr Momen also called on the developed and developing countries to help the graduating LDCs, and stressed the need for continued support to them for 12 years after graduation.