B’desh battles to get backing from peers as time runs out

Bangladesh needs to get the global trade regime governing the intellectual property rights extended to protect its pharmaceuticals industry, but support from its peers in the Third World is 'challenging', an expert has said.
The privilege under the WTO's special TRIPS (Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) that covers pharmaceutical products expires this year.
The general transitional period for trade has already been extended till 2021 and it covers interests of most of the least-developed-country members of the World Trade Organisation.
But, experts say, it is difficult for Bangladesh to get the transitional period for pharmaceuticals extended under the special TRIPS since this is not a field of common interest of the club of world's poorer nations.
Munir Uddin Ahmed, a professor of pharmacy at the University of Dhaka, said it may be challenging for Bangladesh to motivate the least-developed country (LDC) members for collectively lobbying the WTO as Bangladesh is the only LDC seeking to get the special TRIPS for pharmaceuticals extended up to 2021.
An official at the WTO cell under the ministry of commerce said: "We understand that TRIPS extension will be more helpful for Bangladesh than other LDC members and it is not easy to unite all the members."
He said as the general TRIPS covers different businesses of most of the LDC members and it has already been extended. So, there might be little effort from them for extension of the TRIPS for pharmaceuticals.
The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) official said: "We are increasing our diplomatic efforts and by February 2015 we will submit a proposal to the LDC group committee headed by Uganda."
He said, "At first it is urgent for a unity and negotiation among the LDC members and then we will submit our demand to the TRIPS Council."
Experts in the pharmaceutical industry said time was running out, and if the WTO does not extend the TRIPS, Bangladesh may face trouble both on local and export market.
Currently, under the WTO-TRIPS period till 2015, Bangladesh is manufacturing and exporting any kind of generic drugs, be it patented or not.
The MOC official expressed the hope that the TRIPS extension would help all the LDC member-countries as it would help reduce drug prices in their countries, including Bangladesh.
He said Bangladesh with support from the experts and consultants in the WTO Geneva headquarters was already working and the effort would be intensified to that end.
Another official said: "We have prepared a position paper and with the support of the LDC members there would be regular meetings for extension of the TRIPS in the WTO."
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