Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin emphasized for increasing institutional capacity for successful trade negotiations.
He said, in trade negotiations various obstacles have to be faced and overcome.

There are even more obstacles in non-trade negotiations. “We have tried with our utmost capacity and experience to ensure that the United States imposes low tariffs. We believe we have been able to do that.”

He said these things at a discussion meeting organized at the Intercontinental Hotel in the capital on Sunday. UK International Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held the event titled ‘Reflection and Future Directions: Building National Capacity in Trade Negotiations’.

The advisor said, our exports are very limited. We have to face many challenges due to lack of diversification of products. We need to reduce this.

Describing the experience of reciprocal trade negotiations with the US, he said, “We have tried our best experience to ensure that the US imposes low tariffs. We have been able to do that.”

Noting that members of the Trade Negotiators Pool will be able to use their acquired knowledge for the country, Sheikh Bashir uddin said that ongoing training through sustainable collaboration between the ministry, UNDP, FCDO and other partners can play a significant role in addressing emerging trade challenges.

The panelists at the event were UNDP Country Economic Adviser Wyse Parry, Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) Chairman Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, Additional Secretary (Export) at the Ministry of Commerce and EPB Vice Chairman Abdur Rahim Khan.

The event, chaired by Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, was attended by Special Envoy of the Principal Advisor on International Affairs Lutfe Siddiqui, British High Commissioner Sarah Cook and UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liler as special guests.
Later, the Adviser handed over certificates to the participants of the workshop organized for the members of the Trade Negotiators Pool.