Speakers at an stakeholders consultation meeting observed that an effective CEPA between Bangladesh and India would not only benefit both the countries in terms of enhanced employment generation and export earnings but also would help Bangladesh identify its untapped potential for export to India.
The observations came up in the 3rd stakeholder consultation meeting of the joint study on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and India, organized by Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) on Sunday through a physical and zoom platform.
The meeting solely focused on the trade in goods of the joint study.
Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce joined the meeting as chief guest with Dr Md Jafar Uddin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BFTI in the chair.
While addressing Commerce Secretary said, Bangladesh’s export growth performance in the Indian market has more potential.
He also highlighted that the country’s trade has been making a momentous contribution to the economic development of Bangladesh in terms of foreign exchange earnings, improving the balance of payments and faster creation of employment.
Dr Md Jafar Uddin, while addressing, emphasized that an effective CEPA between the two countries would not only benefit both the countries in terms of enhanced employment generation and export earnings but also would help Bangladesh identify its untapped potential for export to India.
Md. Obaidul Azam, Director, BFTI has moderated the program.
Dr Selim Raihan, Lead Consultant, CEPA joint feasibility study made his special remarks on the joint study at the beginning of the meeting. Mahtab Uddin, sectoral consultant of the study presented the key-note presentation at the consultation meeting.
Stakeholders from public sector and private sector provided their inputs and suggestions for the enrichment of the study.
They urged the Ministry of Commerce to include a joint testing laboratory, one-stop service for the investors in the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and India. All the stakeholders were optimistic that the proposed CEPA agreement will result in removing the trade barriers and enhance higher volume of trade between the two neighbouring countries.
High officials from public sector and private sector, business leaders, and academicians participated in the consultation meeting as stakeholders.Among others,Mr A.H.M. Ahasan, Vice-Chairman, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Md. Hafizur Rahman, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Md. Hafizur Rahman, Director General (Additional Secretary), WTO Cell, MoC, Dr Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Additional Secretary, Finance Division, Noor Md. Mahbubul Haq, Joint Secretary, MoC, Sha Md. Abu Raihan Alberuni, Member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, Mohammad Jahangeer Kobir, Joint Secretary and Member, Bangladesh Land Port Authority and representatives from associations and chambers attended the consultation meeting.
The Centre for Regional Trade (CRT) under the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) has been nominated to conduct the joint study from the Government of India.
