Commerce Ministry signs MoU to facilitate import export of agri-goods

Staff Correspondent: The Ministry of Commerce and the United States Department of Agriculture funded Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project yesterdaysigned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the processes forimporting and exporting foods and agricultural goods.
Md. Hafizur Rahman, Director-General (Additional Secretary), WTO Cell,Ministry of Commerce, and Michael J Parr, Country Director Land O’LakesVenture37 and Project Director, Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project, signedthe MoU on behalf of their respective agencies, said a press release.
Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh was present at the signing ceremonyas the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Tapan thanked the US government for respondingto the government of Bangladesh’s request to WTO to assist the governmentagencies and private sector in addressing the challenges in tradefacilitation.
He applauded the comprehensiveness of the offered technical assistance andexpected that the assistance for regulatory reform, laboratory testingservice improvement and automation, increased transparency in tradeinformation, and managing perishable food and agricultural goods would resultin a facilitated trade environment in Bangladesh.
The Commerce Secretary, however, emphasized the effective implementation ofproject activities by counterpart agencies and expected that this projectwould help Bangladesh accumulate strength to address any challenges aftergraduation from LDC status in 2026.
Scott Brandon, Chief Political and Economic Counselor, US Embassy inBangladesh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce (export wing) MdHafizur Rahman, Fuad M Khalid Hossen, Deputy Chief of Party, USDA BangladeshTrade Facilitation Project, senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce,and managers and technical experts from the Bangladesh Trade FacilitationProject were also present to witness the MoU signing ceremony.