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          Members of civil societies and apparel manufacturers Thursday accused Pakistan and Sri Lanka of violating Dhaka Declaration adopted in Bangladesh's capital city on November 14 at the two-day South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.
They said that the Dhaka summit had promised that SAARC members would stay united in the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting and demonstrate necessary understanding and accommodation for a breakthrough to pave the way for successful conclusion of the Doha Development Round.
The Dhaka Declaration said in its 46th paragraph: "They (the Heads of State/Government) agreed that the SAARC member states would work closely together to coordinate their positions in the on-going negotiations on trade and other key economic issues. The Heads of State or Government directed the Commerce Ministers to hold consultations on the sidelines of the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Hong Kong in December 2005, to evolve a common SAARC position on issues of common concern."
"It is unfortunate that just after weeks of the summit the SAARC members violated the Dhaka Declaration," said Annisul Huq, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
He said the loss in solidarity had created a leeway for others to negate Bangladesh's and other least developed countries' prime demand, duty-free and quota free (DFQF) access of their merchandise to the developed countries' markets.
A leading local think-tank, Centre for Policy Dialogue, organised a roundtable discussion "Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the WTO: Outcome, LDC Interests and Bangladesh's Concerns." Noted economist Professor Rehman Sobhan chaired the discussion.
Huq said it was not at all expected that two friendly states and members of SAARC would oppose Bangladesh's appeal of duty-free and quota-free market access in the developed countries.
Gamini S Munasinghe, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Bangladesh, and Rubina Akhter, a Pakistan High Commission official, defended the positions of their respective countries.
"We did not oppose Bangladesh directly, what we did was, we expressed our concerns that if LDCs get certain concessions, that might adversely affect the apparel industry of Sri Lanka," said Munasinghe.
The High Commissioner added that if Bangladesh were Sri Lanka, it would have taken the same position that "We had taken."
The Pakistan High Commission official responded in the same manner.
A Commerce Ministry official, who had joined the Hong Kong meeting, also elaborated Huq's observation.
The official, Sharifa Khanam, said an urgent meeting was convened at the meeting place to get united against the US stand of not giving LDCs duty-free and quota-free benefits where certain member states did not show up. And, "It was communicated by India that the meeting was postponed."
An activist of Karmojibi Nari said Bangladesh had usual opposition in the WTO against its duty-free and quota-free market access approach and India and Brazil joined that group.
The activist, Ziaul Hoque Mukta, said it was sad that the Bush Administration intentionally blocked the demand of LDCs, including that of Bangladesh, though other major WTO meets earlier had resolved in favour of the market access issue.