Welcome to the Presentation on the Activities of the Ministry of Commerce

1. Welcome to the Presentation on the Activities of the Ministry of Commerce April, 2007

2. Allocation of Business • Import Policy formulation • Export Policy formulation and export promotion • Price Control • State Trading • Companies Act, Partnership Act, Societies and Trade Organization Ordinance and Law of Insurance • Promotion and regulation of internal commerce and insurance • Commodity issues

3. Allocation of Business (contd.) • Tariff policy • World Trade Organization and International Trade Organizations • Administration of 19 Commercial Wings of Bangladesh Missions abroad • Administration of BCS Trade Cadre • Liaison with international organizations and world bodies related to treaties and agreements • Administration of sub-ordinate offices and organizations under MOC.

4. Wings/Cells in the MOC • Administration Wing • Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA) Wing • Export Wing • Insurance and Internal Trade Wing (IIT) • World Trade Organization (WTO) Cell • Planning Cell • Textile Cell and • Director Trade Organizations (DTO)

5. Organizations under MOC • Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) • Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) • Department of Insurance • Office of Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E) • Bangladesh Tea Board • Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms • Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) • Sadharan Bima Corporation • Jiban Bima Corporation • Bangladesh Insurance Academy • Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute

6. Manpower Position

7. Administration Wing • Administration of the Ministry of Commerce • Administration of the Sub-ordinate offices of the Ministry of Commerce • Administration of BCS (Trade) Cadre • Budget

8. FTA Wing Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) of Bangladesh • South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) • Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) • Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) [former Bangkok Agreement] • D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement • Trade Preferential System among the members of OIC (TPS-OIC) • International and multilateral organizations including UNCTAD, EC, ITC, UN-ESCAP, WB etc.

9. Export Wing Major activities • MFA Strategy for RMG and monitoring compliance Export Policy formulation, clarification, etc.; • Export facilitation- problems & trade disputes resolution; • Export target fixation & performance monitoring; • Selection CIPs & Export trophy presentation; • Bilateral Trade Agreement - negotiations & signing; • Export Promotional activities (fairs, trade missions, etc.); • National Committee on Export; • Development works of EPB and Tea Board; • Export diversification & capacity building activities (Business Promotion Council); • Monitoring & evaluation of Mission (19) activities

10. Export Target & achievements from 2001-02 to 2005-06 (Million US$)

11. Business Promotion Councils • Unique Public-private initiative • The objective is to help product and sector based development, testing, standardisation and marketing of products • Four Councils have so far been formed- on ICT, Light Engineering, Medicinal & Herbal Products and Leather products. Council on Frozen Food is in the offing.

12. IIT Wing Main Functions • Policy matters relating to Import • Policy matters relating to Insurance • Policy matters relating to ICAB & ICMAB • Price Management of essential commodities

13. Import Expenditures and Export Earnings in million US $ (2000-01 to 2005-06)

14. World Trade Organization (WTO) and Bangladesh • World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 01 January, 1995 after eight rounds of trade negotiations. • WTO is a forum for multilateral trade negotiations and settlement of trade disputes • It administers the trade policies of the member countries and facilitate the implementation of the WTO agreements • WTO covers trade in goods, trade in services and intellectual property rights • Present WTO Members : 149+1 (including 32 LDCs) • Bangladesh is the founding member of WTO

15. WTO Cell • A WTO Cell was established in the Ministry of Commerce in October, 2003. • WTO Cell overseas the current negotiations in the WTO, liaisons with Geneva Mission and prepares the country position. • Bangladesh is now the coordinator of the LDC group in the WTO.

16. Textile Cell • Designs strategy to combat post/MFA challenges • Provides Policy supports towards enhancing RMG exports • Monitors and evaluate RMG related export earnings • Facilitate RMG exports by helping to reduce obstacles • Provides secretarial support servicesto Social Compliance Forum in RMG.

17. Planning Cell Development Projects under ADP (2006-2007) in ml Tk.

18. Planning CellDevelopment Projects under ADP (2006-2007) • Developing Business Services for the Private Sector Promotion • Small Project Facilities • Bangladesh Trade Support Programme • Computerization of the Office of Register Joint Stock Companies and Firms • Strengthening Accounting and Access in the Corporate Sector • Bangladesh Leather Service Center for Export Development • Quality Support Export Diversification • Capacity Building of FBCCI

19. Important Works under Process • Import Policy Order, 2006-2009 • Export Policy, 2006-2009 • Consumers Rights Protection Act, 2006 • Insurance Act, 2006 • Takaful Act, 2006 • Insurance Regulatory Authority Act, 2006 • Chartered Secretaries Act, 2006