Stakeholders want joint testing labs under proposed CEPA

Stakeholders from both public and private sectors have urged the commerce ministry to include a proposal for setting up joint testing laboratories and introducing one-stop service for investors in the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and India.

They made the call at the 3rd stakeholder consultation meeting, organised by the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) on CEPA on Sunday through a physical and zoom platform, reports UNB.

The meeting was solely focused on the trade in goods of the joint study, said a press release.

All the stakeholders hoped that the proposed CEPA agreement will result in removing trade barriers and enhance higher volume of trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Addressing the meeting, Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said Bangladesh's export growth performance in the Indian market has more potential.

He also highlighted that the country's trade has been making a momentous contribution to the economic development of Bangladesh in terms of foreign exchange earnings, improving the balance of payments and faster creation of employment.

Md Jafar Uddin, chief executive officer (CEO) of the BFTI, chaired the event and emphasised that an effective CEPA between the two countries would not only benefit both the countries in terms of enhanced employment generation and export earnings but would help Bangladesh identify its untapped potential for export to India.

BFTI director Md. Obaidul Azam moderated the programme.

Dr Selim Raihan, lead consultant, CEPA joint feasibility study, made his special remarks on the joint study at the beginning of the meeting.

Mr Mahtab Uddin, sectoral consultant of the study gave the keynote presentation at the consultation meeting.

High officials from public and private sectors, business leaders, and academicians participated in the consultation meeting as stakeholders.

Among others, AHM. Ahasan, vice-chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Md. Hafizur Rahman, additional Secretary of ministry of commerce, Hafizur Rahman, director general of WTO Cell of the commerce ministry, Dr Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder, additional secretary, finance division, Noor Md Mahbubul Haq, Joint Secretary, Sha Md. Abu Raihan Alberuni, member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, Mohammad Jahangeer Kobir, Joint Secretary and Member, Bangladesh Land Port Authority and representatives from associations and chambers attended the consultation meeting.

The Centre for Regional Trade (CRT) under the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) has been nominated by the Government of India to conduct the joint study.