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Hundred of overseas and local experts are expected to join the International Civil Society
Forum 2005 in Dhaka aiming at pursuing priorities and interests of the least developed
countries (LDCs) in the upcoming World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting.
"Priorities and interest of Bangladesh as well as other LDCs will be sorted out in the
forum that starts from tomorrow (Monday)," Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of the
National Advisory Committee of the LDC Forum 2005 and president of the International
Chamber of Commerce told a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club Saturday.
This is a regular event prior to the biennial WTO ministerial meeting under the banner of
LDC Forum. Response to the latest event is bigger compared to the previous occasions,
he added.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) -- a local think-tank-- in association with local and
overseas organisations is holding the three-day event, which is expected to be participated
by 440 people from 40 countries.
CPD executive director Debapriya Bhattacharya said the forum will urge the Bangladesh
government to press forward the popular demands and implementation of issues of the
previous rounds in the ministerial meeting to be held in December 3-5 in Hong Kong.
The demands include duty free market access in developed countries, flexible rules of
origin, temporary movement of natural persons, extension of the transition period of the
Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and no anti-dumping duty on exports
of LDCs.
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