WTO and Trade Issues

Dhaka, July 20, 2023. Under the TRIPS Agreement of the World Trade Organization, Bangladesh must grant product patents to multinational companies who will then hold monopoly rights over the production, distribution and pricing of critical medicines and push out generic production. Until 2026, and maybe for a few years after,...

7th August 2021, EquityBD, has submitted its comments to LDC-5 Co-Chairs on zero draft Doha Program of Action. LDC-5 conference will be held in Doha in January 2022. Following the event, EquityBD drafted a position paper for LDCs issues. Please find the zero draft Doha Program of Action and EquityBD position. ...

Dhaka, 05 August 2021. As Bangladesh is graduating from LDC in 2024, the country will need to comply with the World Trade Organization (WTO) mandated Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. As LDC Bangladesh is enjoying exemption from the patent rights and conditions set by the TRIPs. After graduation from...

On 20th May COAST Executive Director and EquityBD Chief Moderator Rezaul Karim Chowdhury as a member of LDC Watch presented climate change focus for preparation of LDC 5 / Doha Plan of Action in front of two Co-Chair Ambassador Rabab Fatim and Ambassador Bob Rae. Please find the note here.

Dhaka, 17 Feb 2018: In a national seminar on “LDC Graduation and Sustainable Development Approach Bangladesh Perspective” held at CIRDAP auditorium Dhaka, civil societies recommended government to take preparation sustainable graduating from LDCs (Least Development Countries). They also urged to adopt appropriate measures in tackling the current inequality in this...

NGO participants from Bangladesh were thankful to the Govt Delegation for not signing in the e-commerce rules though there was big push from the proponents. A group of 70 countries, chaired by Australia, Japan and Singapore, agreed today to start exploratory work toward future negotiations on electronic commerce rules. The...

Dhaka, 30 November 2017. Today CSO (Civil Society Organizations) representatives and right based activist has demanded for Domestic Protection Policy for SME (Small & Medium Enterprises) before introducing E-Commerce in Bangladesh. They made this demand in national seminar title “E-Commerce & Domestic Protection: Issue of WTO Ministerial Conference 2017”...

15 June 2017. Today in a human chain, 30 right based CSOs have called to government to develop appropriate national protection policy for saving state’s asset and valuable information before any contracting or agreement with profiteering E-Commerce Giant like Alibaba (China) and Amazon.com (US Company). They have also criticize...

Twelve Farmers’ Organizations term the WTO treaty on agri-subsidies withdrawal suicidal for Bangladesh, Demanded special measures in the 2016-17 budget to ensure sustainable food security. Today 12 farmers’ organizations have termed the recent WTO treaty on subsidy withdrawal from agriculture as suicidal for the food security of Bangladesh. They were...