In cooperation with the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC, Copenhagen Consensus Center organized roundtable discussions with an aim to figure out smarter solutions to the most problematic issues facing Bangladesh.

1. Industrial Policy
and Trade
Research Ideas
Dhaka
July 1, 2015

2. Bangladesh Priorities
WORKING WITH 30-50 economists including Nobel Laureates, 100+
sector experts engaging major development organizations, NGOs,
government, businesses, youths, rural and urban Bangladeshis to
identify, analyze and prioritize interventions that will deliver greater
benefit per taka spent, helping move Bangladesh towards Vision 2021
and a more prosperous long term future.

3. In cooperation with the Research
and Evaluation Division of BRAC,
Copenhagen Consensus Center
organized roundtable discussions
with an aim to figure out smarter
solutions to the most problematic
issues facing Bangladesh.
These roundtables are
one of several sources
for research ideas.
Sourcing ideas and solutions
Smarter solutions for Bangladesh
Complete set of papers
on 30-50 solutions
PRIORITIZATION
Government NGOs
Academia Pvt sector
Think tanks
Development
organizations
Eminent Panel
Assessment
Government and
donor seminars
Rural polls
Newspaper polls
among readers
Youth forums
across the country
Private sector
meetings
Social, economic and
environmental benefit-cost
research by top Bangladeshi,
and international economists
Extensive peer review by sector
experts and academics
100+ ideas on
policies & investments
20162015 Continuous
engagement with
the public via
electronic, print
and social media
Working with
civil society,
government and
sector experts
Widely
advocating
results of
prioritization
exercises
OUTREACH

4. Research Ideas

5. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(1 of 8)
• Establishment of new electricity plants for industrial
units.
• Strengthen physical infrastructure of custom points and
port facilities.
• Formulation of a 3-in-1 trade policy - industrial,
investment and commercial issues.
• Market diversification through South-South
cooperation - India, China and other non-traditional
destinations.
• Export product diversification - ceramics, leather, agro
food processing, IT products, etc.
• Reduce lending rates for exporters.

6. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(2 of 8)
• Financial and technical support for startups.
• Identifying SMEs’ niches to hone on their comparative
advantages.
• Collection and analysis of SME industry related
information.
• Target public investment to infrastructural facilities,
energy, and technology.
• Ensure responsive basic business services by the
government.
• Design a differentiated system of indirect tax for the
SMEs.

7. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(3 of 8)
• Enhance SMEs access to imported inputs.
• Increase public expenditure to augment the purchasing
power of the rural people - SMEs sustainability.
• Creation of a SME database to assess growth potentials
of diverse SMEs and enable proper targeting of SME
credit.
• Enhance flow of credit to manufacturing SMEs.
• Provide compulsory, state funded education up to the
age of fourteen.
• Implement an M&E system for the assessment of
progress through South-South cooperation.

8. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(4 of 8)
• Provide partially state-funded, compulsory higher
secondary education up to the age of 18 or 19
Strengthen institutional capacity to impart appropriate
technical and vocational education in close association
with potential employers.
• More donor supported match-making opportunities
targeting the IT industry.
• Reduction of sensitive lists by the SAFTA (South Asian
Free Trade Agreement) member countries.
• Effective use of the duty-free aces for Bangladeshi
exports to the Indian market.
• Building broad gauge railway links to provide transit to
Nepal and Bhutan.

9. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(5 of 8)
• Utilization and monitoring of US$ 1.0 billion Indian
credit line.
• Learning from success stories of South particularly in
government procurement and government performance
monitoring.
• Set up specialized economic zones (SEZs) to attract FDI
in new sectors such as light engineering (bicycle and
electronic products), IT products, pharmaceuticals and
shipbuilding.
• Complement energy options from domestic sources
with energy trade.
• Undertake massive investment in transport and
logistics infrastructure.

10. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(6 of 8)
• Expand power and energy trade with India.
• Explore hydro-power import opportunities with Nepal
and Bhutan.
• Increase use of Mongla Port.
• Ensure women’s participation trade fairs through
quotas and monetary incentives.
• Linking Khulna and Mongla with Dhaka and Chittagong
directly by rail using the Padma Bridge.
• Construction of a deep sea port for handling of coal and
other imports at Sonadia, Chittagong.
• Invest and build leather industry as complement to
RMG.

11. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(7 of 8)
• Invest and build shrimp farming industry.
• Invest and build ship building industry.
• SARC Free trade agreement.
• Invest and build textile industry as complement to
RMG.
• Invest and build shoe industry as complement to RMG.
• Manufacture royalty free medicine to export to US.
• More special economic zones for RMG.
• Improve working conditions to boost productivity.
• Preserve and maintain tourist spots for augmenting
services export earnings.

12. Industrial Policy and Trade;
(8 of 8)
• Universal preferential arrangements in developed
country markets.
• Making rules of origin (RoO) in GSP schemes LDC
friendly.
• Expedite WTO Doha Round trade negotiations.
• Building sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS)
compliance capacity.
• Use Aid for Trade (AfT) for export diversification.
• Use AfT for trade-related capacity-building.
• Making IT industry the next RMG.
• Operationalize BBIN's Motor Vehicle Agreement.

13. Full List of Attendees and
Interviewees
M. Abdur Rahman, Deputy Chief, Metropoliton
Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI).
Suhel Ahmed Choudhury, Former Commerce Secretary
& Former Chairman, Janata Bank.
Abdul Mannan, EVP & Manager, Mutual Trust Bank.
Tania Wahab, Director, Bangladesh Women’s Chamber
of Commerce and Industry & Managing Partner
Karigar.
Dr. Abdul Bayes Director, RED, BRAC.
Eric Dales, Manager, Pro-Poor Trade, UNDP.
Nabeera, Rahman, UNV, UNDP.
Mr. Abdul Moyen, Director (Statistics & Policy
Planning) (C.C).