Bangladesh also urged the D-8 member countries to accept Bangladesh request for 30 percent local value addition criteria facility under the rules of origin of the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
Speaking at the 18th session of the D-8 Council of Ministers in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday Secretary (Asia-Pacific) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mahbub Uz Zaman conveyed the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a co-founder of D-8.
Bangladesh made the request over local value addition criteria facility as an LDC and it has ratified and joined the D-8 PTA, said the Foreign Ministry here.
Secretary Zaman who led the Bangladesh delegation was accompanied by the Director General (International Organizations) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs AFM Gousal Azam Sarker and Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkey M Allama Siddiki.
The session was attended by delegations of D-8 member countries as well as the head of D-8 Chambers of Commerce and Industry (D-8 CCI).
Prior to the council meeting, the D-8 Commissioners met in a two-day long session to finalise the outcome documents and preparation for the ministerial meeting.
Director General (International Organisations) and Bangladesh Commissioner to D-8 led his delegation to the commission meeting.
The heads of delegations discussed ways of enhancing cooperation especially in the fields of trade, commerce and investment.
The gathering put emphasis on the finalisation of D-8 Decennial Road Map-2020-2030, the D-8 University, the D-8 Project Support Fund and some other documents on important initiatives taken up under Turkish Chairmanship with the 9th D-8 Summit.
The Joint Declaration of the D-8 CCI, which was the outcome of the D-8 CCI Business Forum of the D-8 Countries’ Chambers of Commerce and Industries on November 2, 2018, was read out during the session and it was appreciated by the Council.
Bangladesh expressed deep appreciation for the D-8 countries for their support and cooperation in addressing the Rohingya crisis.
Referring to the three-point recommendation recently made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the High Level Event on the global compact on Refugees held in September 2018 in New York, Secretary Zaman called upon all to exert pressure on Myanmar for return and repatriation of the Rohingya people from Bangladesh to their homeland in safety, security and dignity.
The Council appreciated the Bangladesh for sheltering the forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims.
They expressed their commitment to continue support Bangladesh and the displaced Rohingyas in their return and reintegration in Myanmar.
Bangladesh will host the next Summit of the D-8 and Council of Ministers meeting towards the end 2019/early 2020 and assume D-8 chairmanship.