Bangladesh must immediately strengthen its intellectual property rights (IPR) regime or risk losing investment opportunities and global competitiveness, speakers warned at a high-level breakfast meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) hosted the event, titled "Advancing the IPR Framework: The Way Forward," which brought together policymakers, foreign officials, business leaders, and senior media professionals to push for urgent reforms in the country's intellectual property sector.
AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed set a strong tone, warning that without robust enforcement of intellectual property laws, Bangladesh will struggle to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and maintain its position in global supply chains.
He stressed that "a secure IPR framework is vital" to build confidence among global importers and brands sourcing products from Bangladesh.
Delivering key remarks, Shilpi Jha, Senior Commercial Specialist and IP Policy Advisor for South Asia at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, said the current political transition presents a "critical opportunity" to overhaul the country's IP system.
She pointed out that stronger enforcement, institutional capacity building, and policy clarity are essential to support investment and protect local industries, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Jha underscored a fundamental weakness in Bangladesh's enforcement system-lack of technical understanding among officials. She recommended mandatory training programmes so enforcement agencies can clearly distinguish between patents, trademarks, copyrights and geographical indications, warning that confusion in these areas undermines legal protection.
Officials and industry representatives also highlighted that weak IPR enforcement not only discourages foreign investors but also exposes local businesses to unfair competition, counterfeiting and brand erosion-issues that could become more severe as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
The event saw the participation of key figures including AmCham Treasurer Al-Mamun M Rashel, Executive Committee Member Mirza Sajib Raihan, U.S. Embassy Commercial Counselor Paul Frost, and AmCham Executive Director Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh, along with other embassy officials, business leaders and stakeholders.
