WTO Doha Agenda Reviewed
Bangladesh's ability to effectively and adequately address the Doha Agenda will primarily depend on her ability to carry forward the capacity-building exercise in trade related issues. This has to be accomplished through a collective endeavor involving the government, private sector and competent actors from the civil society of Bangladesh.

Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Executive Director, CPD made this observation at a presentation on Outcome of the WTO Doha Ministerial and Implications for Bangladesh held at the CPD dialogue room on January 10, 2002. Presided over by CPD Chairman Prof. Rehman Sobhan, the dialogue was attended by economists, high level government officials, business leaders and civil society representatives. Ambassador Dr Toufiq Ali, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in the WTO Participated in the dialogue.

Dr. Bhattacharya pointed out that in order for Bangladesh to cash in on the commitments made at the Doha Ministerial the priority areas should be identified on an urgent basis and the concerned stakeholders should initiate the work on addressing the emerging tasks. He also mentioned that Doha Ministerial is not the end, rather the beginning of a process which signals the inception of another arduous and protracted phase of multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO.

Lack of collective efforts weakened governance further
Landel-Mills emphasises

Former World Bank country director in Dhaka Pierre Landell-Mills termed poor governance in Bangladesh as the foremost problem negatively impacting on the country's development efforts.
Speaking at an in-house dialogue at the CPD on the theme of Reforming Governance in Bangladesh on January 16, 2002 he said that with democratic transition in 1991 hope for a people-oriented governance gained momentum in the country. Landell-Mills said that although there was impressive progress in reduction of child mortality and enrolment, specially of girls at primary schools, the country continues to suffer from political turmoil, deteriorating law and order, and wastage of public resources.
Presided over by CPD Chairman Prof. Rehman Sobhan, leading economists, researchers, high government officials, academics, chamber leaders and NGO representatives participated in the dialogue. Professor Sobhan observed that Bangladesh's highest priority should be human development. He laid emphasis on accountable governance for a sustainable human development.