Experts on Thursday said that the country should have a national strategy based on true data and benefit calculation before graduating from the least developed country list.
In a media workshop titled 鈥榃TO Trade Rules and LDC Graduation of Bangladesh鈥� jointly organised by EquityBD and Economic Reporters鈥� Forum in the capital Dhaka, they expressed their concerns over the data discrepancy of Bangladesh before the country started negotiations with the World Trade Organisation.
Barkat Ullah Maruf, director of partnerships and development communication of COAST Foundation, in his keynote speech emphasised the need for a national strategy based on accurate data before graduating from LDC status, as it would affect future negotiations with the WTO.
He warned that the data discrepancies, derived from political ambitions, could weaken the country鈥檚 negotiating power in sectors like agriculture and fisheries.
Hafizur Rahman, additional secretary of the Bangladesh secretariat and a member of the Bangladesh Competition Commission, said, 鈥榃e will benefit if we graduate from LDC and that will include the advancement of our competencies to openly compete with developed and developing countries.鈥�
鈥榃e will also be benefited if delay our graduation for a few years and that will include the continued opportunities that the LDCs have,鈥� he added.
Refayet Ullah Mridha, president of ERF, said that Bangladesh should take the opportunity to delay the graduation for at least ten more years to review all the national data and get prepared to face the challenge.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, chief moderator of EquityBD, mentioned that since 2005, EquityBD and COAST Foundation had been advocating for a dedicated WTO Cell under the commerce ministry to better handle WTO issues and strengthen the country鈥檚 negotiation skills.