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| Ministry of Commerce (Bangladesh) | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Ministry of Commerce (Bangladesh) |
| Native name | বাণিজ্য মন্ত্রণালয় |
| Formed | 1971 |
| Jurisdiction | People's Republic of Bangladesh |
| Headquarters | Secretariat, Dhaka |
| Minister | Tipu Munshi |
| Chief | Md. Habibur Rahman |
Ministry of Commerce (Bangladesh) is the principal executive agency responsible for trade administration, market regulation, and international trade representation in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. It interacts with ministries such as Ministry of Finance (Bangladesh), Ministry of Industries (Bangladesh), and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bangladesh) while engaging with multilateral institutions like the World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and International Monetary Fund. The ministry coordinates with trade partners including India, China, United States, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to pursue export promotion and import management.
The ministry traces institutional roots to administrative arrangements after the Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1971 establishment of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh, aligning with policies from the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League and later administrations including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Awami League (Bangladesh). Throughout the 1970s and 1980s it responded to shocks such as the 1974 Bangladesh famine and global events like the Oil crisis of 1973, adapting trade measures similar to reforms seen in Economic liberalization in India and Structural Adjustment Programs promoted by the International Monetary Fund. In the 1990s the ministry implemented policies in the context of World Trade Organization accession and regional initiatives like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, while the 2000s and 2010s saw engagement with bilateral frameworks including the Indo-Bangladesh Trade Agreement and Bangladesh’s emergence as an exporter alongside the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
The ministry is led by a political head, the Minister of Commerce (Bangladesh), supported by a Commerce Secretary (Bangladesh) and senior secretariat cadres drawn from the Bangladesh Civil Service. Its Secretariat sits in the Bangladesh Secretariat alongside departments such as the Office of the Economic Adviser and directorates patterned after models in United Kingdom Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Commerce (India). Administrative divisions include policy wings, trade promotion cells, and regulatory branches coordinating with agencies like the Bangladesh Tariff Commission and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, while liaising with state-owned enterprises such as the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority.
The ministry formulates trade policy, negotiates international agreements, and administers tariff and non-tariff measures in coordination with bodies like the National Board of Revenue (Bangladesh), Customs House (Chittagong), and trade associations such as the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry. It oversees export promotion activities with partners including the Export Promotion Bureau (Bangladesh), commodity boards like the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation, and regulatory enforcement akin to practices in the European Commission (Trade) and United States Trade Representative. Additional responsibilities include market surveillance with agencies such as the Directorate General of Drug Administration (Bangladesh) for exports of pharmaceuticals and customs facilitation comparable to initiatives by the World Customs Organization.
Key subordinate organizations include the Bangladesh Tariff Commission, Export Promotion Bureau (Bangladesh), National Consumer Rights Protection Department (Bangladesh), and the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms for trade registration processes. The ministry interacts with state-owned corporations like the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation and regulatory institutions such as the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and Directorate of National Consumers' Rights Protection, while coordinating with research bodies including the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and trade facilitation partners like Chittagong Port Authority.
The ministry negotiates bilateral and multilateral agreements including frameworks with India–Bangladesh relations, Bangladesh–China relations, and tariff concessions under Generalized System of Preferences arrangements with partners like the European Union and United States. It participates in regional dialogues such as South Asian Free Trade Area and interfaces with initiatives like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative projects that affect trade corridors and logistics linking ports like Chittagong Port and Mongla Port. Trade policy instruments cover safeguard measures, anti-dumping actions adjudicated by the Bangladesh Tariff Commission, and export diversification strategies targeting sectors represented by the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
The ministry’s policies influence export-led sectors such as ready-made garments exemplified by firms in the Dhaka Export Processing Zone, agricultural exports tied to commodities like jute and tea (Bangladesh), and industrial outputs linked to investments from corporations akin to Chevron Corporation and Tata Group operating regionally. Its role affects macroeconomic indicators tracked by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and informs trade balances monitored in reports by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Performance debates reference growth episodes like the Bangladesh Delta Plan era and export milestones associated with global supply chains involving buyers such as H&M, Zara (Inditex), and multinational trading houses.
The ministry has faced critiques over tariff policy, alleged protectionism reminiscent of disputes seen in WTO dispute settlement, and controversies involving procurement and licensing comparable to scandals in other administrations like the Srebrenica Commission controversies in different contexts. Criticism has arisen regarding enforcement of consumer protection aligned with cases pursued by the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission, complaints from trade bodies such as the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and debates over preferential trade treatment in negotiations with entities including China–Pakistan Economic Corridor partners. Allegations have included disputes over anti-dumping rulings, quota management practices in apparel exports, and transparency issues probed by local media and parliamentary committees such as the Parliament of Bangladesh (Jatiya Sangsad).
Category:Economy of Bangladesh