Business leaders and trade experts have emphasised that a secure and robust Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) framework is a strategic necessity for Bangladesh to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and maintain its position in the global supply chain after graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
The observation was made at a breakfast meeting titled "Advancing the IPR Framework: The Way Forward" hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) at a city hotel on Wednesday.
The event brought together key stakeholders from public and private sectors, along with senior media professionals, to discuss the critical role of intellectual property protection in transforming the country's business ecosystem.
Opening the discussion, AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed underscored the urgency of strict IPR enforcement for the nation's future economic stability.
"A secure IPR framework is vital to attracting increased FDI, while giving global importers and brand promoters the absolute confidence to source high-quality products from Bangladesh," he asserted.
Attending the event as a key speaker, Shilpi Jha, Senior Commercial Specialist and IP Policy Adviser (South Asia) at the US Embassy in New Delhi, highlighted that the new government in Bangladesh has a golden opportunity to modernise its intellectual property architecture to foster innovation.
She specifically stressed that a strengthened IP framework would serve as a major catalyst for supporting domestic Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Shilpi Jha pointed out significant gaps in current enforcement capacities and recommended mandatory, specialised training modules for customs and law enforcement officials.
This training, she noted, is crucial to help officials accurately distinguish between patents, trademarks, copyrights, and geographical indications (GI) during field operations.
During an open floor session, participants raised deep concerns regarding ongoing operational hurdles in IP protection. The interactive dialogue highlighted that combating counterfeiting and piracy effectively requires seamless, coordinated action across various state agencies, particularly in managing port-of-entry imports and updating archaic policy frameworks.
The meeting concluded with a strong consensus that establishing an uncompromised, world-class IPR regime must be prioritised immediately if Bangladesh wishes to smoothly navigate its post-LDC transition and shield its export sectors from international legal challenges.
AmCham Executive Committee members, including Treasurer Al-Mamun M Rashel and Mirza Sajib Raihan, alongside Paul Frost, Commercial Counselor at the US Embassy in Dhaka, other high-level embassy officials, prominent industry stakeholders, and Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh, Executive Director of AmCham also took part in the discussion.