WTO

PID World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Director General of WTO meets Prime Minister Hasina

In a meeting held on Thursday, the Director General (DG) of the WTO suggested reducing subsidies in the fisheries sector. He also said that they will sign an agreement with Bangladesh for this purpose. However, Momen said, Bangladesh does not give large subsidies to fish farming. He said, WTO DG is referring to the dispute settlement body of WTO. It has been inactive for several years in some major countries.

The WTO DG requested the Prime Minister to participate in the G-20 summit to be held in New Delhi next September and to raise this issue while speaking at various international forums so that the dispute settlement body becomes active.

"This is the core strength of the WTO," the DG said. The 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Health Organization (WTO) will be held in Abu Dhabi in February next year.

The Prime Minister said that the promotion of Bangladesh will be confirmed in that meeting. WTO DG asks Bangladesh to diversify its exports. In this context, she wants Bangladesh to focus more on medicine and IT sector to reduce its dependence on export of manufactured garments.

Regarding deep sea fishing, Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh lacks capacity in this sector and that is why she emphasized on getting the experience of experts from Japan, Thailand and Maldives.

The Prime Minister said that she has already talked to Maldives and Japan in this regard. Earlier, Qatar's Minister of Labor at the same place. Ali Bin Samik Al Mari met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and he said that about 370 thousand Bangladeshi manpower is working in his country. She said, they are satisfied with the performance of these workers.

Momen said, they have expressed interest in taking more manpower from Bangladesh and for this they have signed an agreement.