Bangladesh should adopt a plan to prepare the country’s stakeholders to face and overcome the challenges that will emerge after its graduation to a developing economy in 2026, a discussion was told on Tuesday.

Speakers at the meeting called for starting intense negotiation with the country’s big trade partners like EU, USA, China and India as well as with global organizations to continue with the existing trade facilities for a few more years.

Read: WTO Ministerial: Bangladesh’s focus should be on transition period extension

The Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) organised the workshop at its office ahead of ‘12th WTO ministerial conference’, scheduled to be held from November 30 to December 3, in Geneva in Switzerland.

Commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Additional secretary of the ministry and director general of WTO Cell Md Hafizur Rahman and former member of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission participated in the workshop explaining different rules of WTO, facility and policy of international trade.

Read: WTO rules to help Bangladesh more after graduation: Hasina

ERF president Sharmin Rinvy presided over the function while SM Rashidul Islam, secretary of the organisation moderated the program.

Replying to a question Tapan said that Bangladesh’s exports to the USA, EU nations and India have increased even during the pandemic thanks to government’s policy of supporting businesses, production and export.