Speakers at a workshop in Chattogram today urged authorities concerned to expedite the rollout of a “National Single Window” for reducing the time and cost of doing business in the country.
A national single window enables trade and transport stakeholders to provide information to multiple government agencies through one platform to meet import, export, and transit requirements efficiently, according to Asian Development Bank.
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Processing international trade through a single window reduces cargo release time and the cost of doing business, increases competitiveness and efficiency, and improves the way business is done, it said.
The speakers also called for the formulation of a national logistics policy and decreasing the release time of goods from ports through increased automation.
Bangladesh needs to employ all possible trade facilitation measures to enhance competitiveness and overcome probable negative impacts of a gradual loss of duty and quota-free market access from Bangladesh’s country status graduation, they observed.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) organised the workshop titled “Trade Facilitation for Improving the Competitiveness: Challenges and Way Forward” in collaboration with the Chattogram district administration.
Secretary to the ERD Sharifa Khan was present as chief guest while Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman AHM Ahsan, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md Tofael Islam and Chittagong Port Authority Member Md Habibur Rahman attended the event as special guests.
Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman chaired the event.
Sharifa Khan underscored the importance of greater coordination among relevant agencies for improving trade.
Ahsan laid emphasis on enhanced use of online platforms for easing export and import related procedures.
Habibur Rahman said enhancing the capacity of seaports can transform Bangladesh into a connectivity hub between the South Asia and South-East Asia.
Abul Bashar said Bangladeshi exporters can double their capacity by utilising the Matarbari deep sea port and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel.
Representatives of different government agencies, the private sector and civil society organisations participated in the workshop.