Speech by H.E. Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Hon'ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of Bangladesh's successful utilization of Canada's LDC Market Access Initiative for duty and quota free access of products to Canada

Venue: Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel (Ball Room)
Date and Time: Monday, 28 April 2008 at 1100 hrs.

Madam High Commissioner,

I thank the Canadian Mission for organizing this event and inviting me to it.

It marks the 5th anniversary of Bangladesh's access as an LDC into the Canadian market.

Through the years, our bilateral cooperation has been growing across a broad spectrum of activities.

These include trade, investment and development cooperation. Some analyses is merited.

In trade, Bangladesh's exports have more than quadrupled over the past half decade. It has risen from US 110.41 million in 2001-02, to $ 406 million in 2006-2007.

Imports expanded from 49.26 million to US $ 163.00 over the same period.

The reason for the huge growth in our exports has mainly been the GSP facilities being accorded us. Also, the fact that duty free quota free access of our Ready Made Garments into Canadian market is being promoted since 2003. We applaud Canada's initiative in supporting us. This reflects an enlightened approach to international issues on Ottawa's part.

We are looking for similar access to all developed country markets. If we are good at producing something, as we are with RMGs, we should be rewarded for our performance, and not punished for it through NTBs and other barriers. How else can we more away from aid dependency ? Is it not what everyone wants ?

There is scope for more investments from Canada. In recent years 19 Canadian firms have been registered with Board of Investment. They are looking to investing US $ 46 million in telecommunications, power and energy. As our economy expands, we look to much greater Canadian participation.

Canada is also an important development-cooperation partner. This year approximately an amount of US $ 59 million has been channeled through CIDA.

Also, nearly 70,000 people of Bangladeshi origins reside in Canada. Many have been integrated into the Canadian way of life. This has been possible because of the commonalities between the two cultures. We can say with a modicum of pride Bangladeshi-Canadians are contributing to Canada's progress. Today Canada is emerging as a destination for our skilled manpower export. This promises to become another key connection binding us.

Bangladesh and Canada share an intellectual heritage rooted in our history. We are tied by Commonwealth values. Also by the English language, though parts of Canada is French. Indeed this continues to link us to North America, i.e., Canada and the US. Because of our traditional bonds, Bangladesh can be a conduit a bridge between America and Asia, a role that will surely become more salient as a new Asian Age begins. This is a point that needs stressing.

Bangladesh and Canada are also partners in the international arena. We both champion the UN's role in global peace-keeping. Our two countries worked closely together to have the norm of 'responsibility to protect' written into the UN Reforms package. We were together in propagating the values of poverty alleviation and women's empowerment.

Bangladesh and Canada jointly formed the group of Friends of "Women, Peace and Security" in 2001. We shared with Canada a key interest in the first ever United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on "Women, Peace and Security" during Bangladesh's non-permanent membership at the Security Council in 2000. Despite our geographical and ethnic divides, such cooperation is meant to underscore the universality of certain values that define our modern times.

I know this seminar will help bring our two nations yet closer. But before I conclude, I wish to pay a special tribute to High Commissioner Barbara Richardson. There are individuals who often play a critical role in bringing peoples together. Barbara is one such. I applaud her work. I wish her success in her career, as I understand she may be leaving us soon.