Hong Kong 13-18 Dec. 2005

The Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference  
Hong Kong, China, 13 to 18 December 2005.

Dhaka will rally for the continuation of farm subsidy in least developed countries, duty- and quota-free access of LDC products to developed countries and free movement of natural person at the sixth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation.

The privileges for the LDCs were included in the "July Framework" or "July Package" of the WTO general council, said sources in the government.

The council at a meeting in July 2004 decided that the LDCs would be allowed to continue farm subsidy to marginalised farmers, and make available bank loans, fertiliser and electricity at low rate under "de minimis" support.

It also decided that the developed countries would allow duty- and quota-free access of LDC products to their markets and free movement of natural person.

The July Framework also excluded the LDCs from tariff reduction and flexibility in trade facilitation, the sources said.

The prime minister, Khaleda Zia, on Monday approved Bangladesh’s position for negotiations at and a 23-member delegation for the meeting of the international trade forum, scheduled to take place in Hong Kong on December 13-18, sources in the Prime Minister’s Office told New Age.

The commerce minister, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, will lead the delegation comprising representatives from different ministries, research organisations and the private sector.

Commerce secretary Faruq Ahmad Siddiqi, director general of the ministry’s WTO cell Nasir Uddin Ahmed, deputy director of the cell Sharifa Khan, National Board of Revenue member ATM Sarwar Hossain, Tariff Commission deputy chief Mostafa Abid Khan and an agriculture ministry representative will be on the delegation.

Toufiq Ali, permanent representative to the WTO, Geneva, Motahar Hossain, economic minister, Geneva office, Daniul Islam, first secretary, Geneva office, Ashfaqur Rahman, ambassador, China, Aminul Islam, commercial councillor of the embassy in China, AFM Gausul Azam, consul general of Bangladesh in Hong Kong and Kazi Anarkali, vice-consul general, are also included in the delegation.

Besides, Mustafizur Rahman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue and representatives from the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Development Initiative LTD, International Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association will also be on the team.

The research and business organisations will bear the expenses of their representatives, according to the commerce ministry summary.