. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/38 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6009) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
BANGLADESH 
 
Statement by the Honourable Altaf Hossain Choudhury
 
Minister of Commerce  
   We have gathered here for a momentous even t, with the world watching over our shoulders.  
For many countries, including Bangladesh, trade is most important for our integration into the 
globalized economy.  Furthermore, trade is a f undamental component of our economic development 
strategy.  The Ministers gathered in Hong Kong have assumed an onerous responsibility – they must 
succeed.   Before proceeding further, may I thank our ho sts, the Government of Hong Kong, China for 
their warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements for the Conference.  And, you, my friend, John, 
deserve our admiration and applause for your ou tstanding success in organizing this event. 
  I take this opportunity to welcome and congr atulate the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
and Tonga upon their accession into the WTO.  They  will be important Members in our community. 
 
 Yesterday, the coordinator of LDCs spoke on our  behalf.  I fully endorse his statement.  The 
concerns of LDCs have been articulated in the Dhaka, Dakar and Livingstone Declarations, which 
form the basis of our negotiations for an ag reed draft Declaration for this Ministerial. 
  May I highlight some of our key concer ns at this stage of the negotiations: 
 
 First, we require duty- and quota-free market  access in the developed countries in a secure 
and predictable form, for all LDC products.  For ma ny years, we have been promised such access.  
The Doha Declaration even obligates the developed countries to the objective of duty- and quota-free 
market access to the LDCs.  It is now time to tran slate these promises into action.  We expect the 
developed countries that have not already done so, to announce at Hong Kong their timetable for the 
introduction of such market access.  As for th e developing countries declaring themselves in a 
position to do so, their announcements would be grea tly appreciated.  We must make this happen at 
Hong Kong.   Second, we also seek a regi me to facilitate the movement of temporary service providers, 
under Mode 4 of the Services Agreement.  Our service providers are indeed going to many countries, 
to the mutual benefit of the sending and receiving States,  as also to the workers themselves.  It is time 
to place this in an orderly framework, so that an y current abuses may be curtailed while meeting the 
genuine needs at both ends.  We a ll recognize the immense potential in this field;  it may even exceed 
that of the expansion of trade in merchandise goods as a consequence of complete liberalization.  As 
we pursue the objective of liberalization of trade in goods and services, the movement of service 
providers under Mode 4 should get utmost attention. 
 WT/MIN(05)/ST/38 
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  Third, I want to highlight the difficulties that our countries will face on account of erosion of 
preferences.  These preferences have been invaluable to us in the past.  We know that MFN tariffs 
will come down, and we have a very small window to  use these preferences.  We must find innovative 
schemes to help the LDCs in this area.  
 Before I conclude, I want to commend the pro cess followed this time for drawing up the Draft 
Ministerial Declaration.  For the first time, it has b een a bottom-up approach and much of the text has 
been negotiated and agreed upon.  We strongly urge  that the negotiated texts, particularly those 
relating to LDCs, not be opened up at Hong Kong.  
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