The commerce ministry on Sunday launched Bangladesh Trade Portal to provide the domestic and international business community and other stakeholders with the country’s export-import information. Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed inaugurated the portal at a programme jointly organised by the ministry and the World Bank Group at Sonargaon Hotel in the Dhaka city. Speaking on the occasion Tofail said the portal had formally connected the country with the global market through providing both the local and foreign traders with necessary regulatory and procedural information needed to exports and imports. The ministry will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry for maintaining the portal (www.bangladeshtradeportal.gov.bd). International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group supported the ministry for establishing the portal that can be read both in Bangla and English. The portal stores information relating to existing trade regulations and procedures including laws, administrative procedures, guidance notes, tariffs, applicable fees, forms, licences, permits, business start-up process, customs issues, bi-lateral and multilateral trade agreements and other related issues. FBCCI president Abdul Matlub Ahmad emphasised on updating the contents of the portal regularly to achieve expected outcomes. It is easy to open such portal but hard to maintain and sustain it, he said adding that it would not work ‘if the portal contains information of 2010.’ He suggested that the ministry introduce 24-hour hotline or call centres for providing answers of traders’ questions. Commerce ministry senior secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, IFC programme manager for trade and competitiveness global practice Masrur Reaz, among others, spoke at the programme.
