Staff Reporter :Several civil society organizations have urged government to take steps for implementation of the “Bali ministerial package 2013” to achieve duty free and quota free market access for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) under WTO framework. They criticized the present biased and unfair role of WTO and demanded that the LDCs must get opportunity to enhance their exports in global market. They placed these demand in a seminar at national press club Dhaka titled “Stop Corporate globalization. WTO 10th ministerial conference: Expectation of LDCs”. The seminar was organized in associate with thirty civil society organization led by EquityBD. Syed Aminul Hoque has moderated the seminar and Md. Mujibul Haque Munir of COAST Trust presented the key note paper. Md. Tazul Islam Chowdhury, MP and Chairman of Ministry of Commerce Parliament Standing Committee were present as the chief guest. Mujibul Hoque Munir said, WTO is playing double standard to LDCs and developed countries. Some rich countries especially US and their allies are trying to set aside permanently the entire development agenda of Doha Round, and Common Package of “Bali Agreement” adopted in 2013 WTO conference. The “Bali Package” generally agreed to ensure duty free and quota free market access for LDCs to increase their trade, but unfortunately, WTO has backtracked from this agenda. A balance trade rules is very important to reduce poverty of LDCs and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals adopted by UN. It’s only possible to overhauling the WTO present rules to make the global trading system more compatible with people-centred development.
