Call for inking new deal to extend duty-free access to Canada

As the General Preferential Tariffs with Canada will expire in 2023, the Canada-Bangladesh Joint Working Group on Strengthening Commercial Relations has asked the Bangladesh government to complete negotiations on a new agreement by this time to continue the duty-free access to Canadian market.

The committee came up with this call during the meeting virtually held on Wednesday night. During the meeting, Canadian co-chair Nuzhat Tam-Zaman recommended to launch an annual Canada-Bangladesh Forum as a launching pad for the JWG.

The recommendations from Canada include easier visa processing, electric visa for Bangladeshis, branding the development stories of Bangladesh to Canadian investors and forming Canada-Bangladesh cross border e-commerce platform.

The group’s co-chair of Bangladesh, FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said BIDA is providing a number of services through One Stop Service platform.

“Doing business in Bangladesh is easier now. Hence, the FBCCI calls the Canadian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh. Agriculture and technology are the sectors with most potential,” he said.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Canada Dr Khalilur Rahman said that the foreign ministry of Bangladesh is working to ease the Canadian visa processing for Bangladeshis.

President of Canada-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Masud Rahman suggested establishing a 100-acre Canadian industrial zone in Bangabandhu Industrial City to attract the Canadian investors.

He proposed to establish Canadian visa office in Dhaka, signing Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements, FTA and forming a consultative committee in a report submitted in the meeting.

Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls suggested identifying the obstacles for Canadian companies to invest in Bangladesh.

Directors of FBCCI Syed Sadat Almas Kabir, Md Saiful Islam, President of Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership Chris Dekker, Secretary General of South Asia of Canada Global Affairs David Hartman, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Commerce Abdur Rahim Khan and President of Bangladesh Plastic Association Shamim Ahmed also spoke at the meeting.