FE REPORT
Obtaining accreditation from importing countries is essential for Bangladesh to unlock the full export potential of its Geographical Indication (GI) products, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries (MoI) Obaidur Rahman has said.
Bangladeshi products are not substandard in terms of quality and taste, however, they often face issues with foreign port authorities due to a lack of proper certification, he said.
"If we cannot establish an understanding with the certification bodies of importing countries, a GI tag alone will not be enough," said Mr Rahman.
He made the remarks at the 10th SME Development Working Committee meeting of Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) held in the MoI conference room on Thursday, a statement said.
Mr Rahman presided over the meeting which was attended by high officials of MoI and other government and non-government offices. The meeting focused on the challenges and opportunities for GI products.
Mr Rahman said while Bangladesh is making progress with domestic GI registration, there is a crucial need for proper visual documentation to both claim rights and increase product visibility.
Creating trade body platforms of the GI products producers is another important task, and BUILD can work for it, he noted. He urged the private sector to take the lead in resolving these issues, as government authorities can only provide policy support. "Business communities must come forward... the real change happens then," he was quoted as saying by the statement.
Research Director of BUILD Dr. Wasel Bin Shadat made a keynote presentation.
It highlighted that Bangladesh has registered 60 GI-certified products since 2016, including Jamdani, Muslin, Hilsa, and Khirsapat mangoes. While the registration process has been largely successful, about 90 per cent of applications are government-driven, limiting producer ownership and commercial impact while a number of them are shared GIs.
Explaining full life Cycle of enjoying the benefits of GI, the presentation identified commercialization and community mobilization as one of the necessities.
Mr Shadat emphasized the urgent need for a GI Tag, a GI Tag User Policy, sector-specific strategies, robust certification, and traceability systems to enhance branding, market access, and export potential.
The presentation made recommendations including immediate approval of a GI Tag, development of a National Commercialization and Marketing Strategy, selection of 5-10 high-potential GI products with specific export targets, establishment of bilateral agreements to manage trans-border GIs, and strengthening R&D, awareness campaigns, financing, and capacity-building initiatives for producers.
Acting Secretary General of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) AKM Asaduzzam Patwary, Bangladesh IP Forum Founder Barrister Hamidul Mishbah, and representatives from different government and non-government organisations were present in the meeting.
saif.febd@gmail.com
