DHAKA, Sept 19, 2021 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI)
today organized the 3rd stakeholder consultation meeting of the joint study
on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh
and India through physical and zoom platform.

   Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Secretary,
Ministry of Commerce 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, said a press release.

   Dr Md Jafar Uddin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BFTI chaired the event.
He 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 to identify its untapped
potential for export to India.

   Md Obaidul Azam, Director, BFTI 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, made 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.

   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, Shah 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 India.