BD wants duty-free access to D8 nations

Bangladesh has called for duty and quota free access of its products to the D8 (developing eight) countries. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed raised the demand during a meeting with the visiting high-powered D8 delegation led by its Secretary General Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi which called on him at his office in the city on Tuesday afternoon. After the meeting Tofail told the reporters ‘As an underdeveloped nation, we get duty and quota-free access from big nations. Among the D8 nations, Bangladesh is the only LDC. Therefore, we expect duty and quota-free access from the D8 nations which will increase our export earnings by 30 per cent.’ The commerce minister said this would be the prime issue on the agenda for the D8’s commerce minister-level meeting in Ankara on October 20-21, according to a news agency.