Work on to make Bangladesh a developed nation by 2041: Tipu

Works in progress in a planned manner to build the country a developed one by 2041, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has said.

“To achieve the goal, some 8 to 10 per cent growth should be achieved. For this, not only the production but also the quality of the goods should be improved,” he said.

The minister came up with the observation while presiding over the 6th meeting of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) organized by the Ministry of Commerce at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“As a developing country, we have to face several challenges. We will not have the benefits of the LDC countries. We must be ready to face this challenge as we have very little time. We have no choice but to go ahead with international trade. For this, trade facilities should be increased,” he said.

The minister said that the country's import-export and investment activities will be made easier and faster with the aim of implementing the ‘Trade Facilitation Road Map’ to face the challenges of world trade.

“One stop service will be introduced in terms of import-export and transit through the implementation of National Single Window (NSW). There is no alternative to modernising the departments concerned with border trade. For this, if necessary, the existing trade policies and laws will be amended,” he added.

The NTFC annual meeting decided to emphasize product quality testing and increase the production and processing of agricultural products to facilitate domestic and international trade. Besides, ease and speed of import and export at various ports, ease of transportation in international trade, implementation of a single window, speedy clearance of import goods, fast clearance of export goods, increase and modernization of capacity of seaports, land ports and air routes, ease of connectivity.

Various directions and recommendations have been given for modernizing and simplifying the railways in the transportation of goods, the minister said.

The meeting also discussed taking and implementing initiatives to increase the number of export products.

Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh of the Ministry of Commerce virtually joined in the meeting. ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Mahfuza Akhter, Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) Chief Executive Officer Md Zafar Uddin, Vice Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau AHM Ahsan, FBCCI President Jasim Uddin also attended the meeting.