The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh, Nepal and Cambodia will be given 'commercially meaningful market facility' in the form of duty and quota-free access to the developed countries, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told newsmen yesterday.

"In the WTO meeting when it was proposed that the duty and quota free access facility should be provided to non-LDC countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh demanded the same facility as a LDC country," Zillur said at a press briefing at his ministry on the outcome of WTO mini-ministerial conference in Geneva and the country's future trade strategy.

He said following the demand it had been decided that 'commercially meaningful market facility' in the form of duty and quota-free access would be extended to Bangladesh, Nepal and Cambodia.

Hossain Zillur said an attempt was made at the WTO meeting in Geneva to create a rift among the LDC countries of Africa and Asia.

"But we succeeded in making the African countries understand that we will be giving them concession in duty and quota-free access to some of their commodities, if necessary," he said.

However, he said, bilateral talks would have to be continued to realise the pledges Bangladesh had received.

The adviser said, "All of us have to do our best to expand trade in internal and external arena and ensure political stability at home. We hope good sense will prevail over everyone."

Asked when the caretaker government's tenure ends in December, how it will tackle the twin task of bilateral dialogue and electoral preparations, the adviser said, "We are aware of our responsibility."

"A government has to do many things at a time. If any government fails to do so it cannot be called a government. We are also trying to do all the tasks in hand. I think we are going ahead," he added.

Zillur said "Besides the existing markets, we'll try to explore markets in Latin America that remain unexplored," and added that he would lead a business delegation to Latin America during the tenure of this government.

He said local products have potentials in Brazil, Chili and Argentina as well as in some other countries in the region.

The Adviser conceived the idea of exploring Latin America during a meeting with Brazilian Trade Minister on the sidelines of the World

Trade Organisation (WTO) mini-ministerial.

He said that the Brazilian minister expressed the interest to open up their mission here while Bangladesh would also set up its mission there.

WTO cell Director General Amitabh Chakrabarti, CPD executive director Dr Mustafizur Rahman, Bangladesh Tariff Commission Chairman Prof Mohammad Taslim, BGMEA president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, - who attended the WTO meeting, were present in on the occasion.