(From Left) CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan, Commerce Minister Mr. Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury MP and Oxfam-GB Executive Director Ms. Barbara Stocking

Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury maintained that the government was alert about the need for putting in place appropriate policies and actions to tide over the emerging challenges originating from the expected phase out of the MFA in January 2005. The Minister was addressing as the Chief Guest at the dialogue on Coping with Post MFA Challenges: Strategic Response for Bangladesh RMG Sector jointly organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Oxfam, Bangladesh on May 4, 2002 which was held at the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka. The dialogue was presided over by Professor Rehman Sobhan. CPD Research Director Professor Mustafizur Rahman presented the keynote paper which he authored together with Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya and Dr. Ananya Raihan under the overall guidance of Professor Rehman Sobhan.
In his presentation, Professor Rahman mentioned that the overarching strategy for the sustainability of the RMG sector should be to ensure that the workers became real stakeholders in the sector. Professor Rahman put forward a set of domestic and global strategies to address the emerging challenges in the RMG sector.

The Commerce Minister assured that all the stakeholders will be consulted in designing and implementing appropriate policies.

Elaborating the challenges and opportunities arising out of the MFA phase-out, the Minister pointed out that on the one hand, Bangladesh will face tough challenge from China; on the other hand, the large Chinese market will become accessible for the RMG exporters of all other countries including Bangladesh.
Awami League leader and former Commerce and Industries Minister Mr. Tofail Ahmed was of the opinion that many RMG products would not remain cost-effective without adequate support from the government. The governmental decision of stopping cash incentives to the RMG sector will exacerbate the problems of the garment exporters, he observed.
BGMEA President Mr. Kutubuddin Ahmed cautioned that thousands of workers would become jobless if the garment sector collapses as a consequence of the MFA phase-out. He lamented that over the years market access barriers have remained unaddressed and little has been done in terms of removing the supply-side bottlenecks and expanding the apparel market through effective trade negotiations.
BTMA President Mr. Abdul Matin Chowdhury complained that India was dumping her textile products in Bangladesh much to the frustration of the local textile mills.

CPD Research Director Professor Mustafizur Rahman presenting the keynote paper on Shrategic Response to MFA Phase-out

Oxfam-GB Executive Director Barbara Stocking, MCCI President Mr. Tapan Chowdhury, CPD Executive Director Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, and trade union leaders Mr. Khurshid Alam, Ms. Nazma Akhter and Mr. Shamsul Alam also took part in the dialogue.