All across the board in production chain may enjoy the facility of duty-free import of capital goods and raw materials under trade strategies being broached to steer post-graduation Bangladesh, sources said. This is among a package of measures to be discussed and decided in an upcoming meeting of a top-level high-powered nation committee. The ‘National Committee on Export’, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is also expected to discuss strategies for creation of new market and expanding the existing export market.

Besides, duty-drawback facility for cent-percent export-oriented products and bonded-warehouse facility in all other sectors like in apparel industry will be on the discussion table. The 44-member national committee, formed earlier, sits on March 20 to devise necessary strategies to deal with challenges to be emerging after Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status.

Incentives issue for local production and export sector both has been included in the meeting agenda with the aim of making the facilities compliant with the Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) Agreement with the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The policy body is likely to discuss ways of attracting foreign investment into export industries, establishing warehouse and cold-storage facilities for preservation of fresh vegetables, fish, meat and frozen foods in country’s all types of port areas.

Source: thefinancialexpress.com.bd