DHAKA, Feb 24, 2024 (BSS) - The four-day 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13)

of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will take place from February 26 to 29,
2024 at Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ministers from across the world will attend to review the functioning of the
multilateral trading system and to take action on the future work of the WTO.

An eight-member Bangladesh delegation, led by State Minister for Commerce
Ahsanul Islam Titu, will attend the conference.

This 13th edition of the ministerial conference bears much significance to
Bangladesh as the country will be graduating from the LDCs to a developing
nation by 2026. Such high-level ministerial conference of WTO usually takes
place in every two years.

In this edition of the conference, issues like subsidies in agriculture and
fisheries sectors, intellectual property rights related facilities, e-
commerce and food security across the globe would get special focus.

Talking to BSS, Senior Secretary of Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh said
that Bangladesh always wants to play an important role in protecting the
interests of the LDCs and other developing nations.

"We're not focusing on any specific issue for Bangladesh in this conference.
But, we want that the duty-free market facilities, intellectual property
rights and other trade facilities remain intact for few more years in the
post LDC graduation period," he added.

Tapan said Bangladesh also wants to see that the technical facilities
including training of the officials as LDC member country, facilities in
dispute settlement remain intact for few more years beyond the LDC
graduation.

"Bangladesh will play a strong role in this regard," he added.

The Senior Commerce Secretary also informed that Bangladesh is giving
priority on providing subsidy in the fisheries sector during the post LDC
graduation period.