BFTI to transform into national think tank on int’l trade: Muktadir

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) will be transformed into a national think tank for international trade research, trade law, economic analysis and capacity building to better serve the country’s future trade interests.

Speaking at the 63rd meeting of the BFTI Board of Directors at the institute’s conference room in Dhaka on Tuesday, the minister said the initiative did not suffer from a lack of funding but rather a lack of long-term strategic vision.

“We have now started working in that direction. BFTI will play a vital role in developing skilled professionals capable of dealing with international trade agreements, regulations and legal interpretations,” he said.

The minister stressed that in-depth research on the global trading system, international markets and emerging economic trends is essential to safeguarding Bangladesh’s commercial interests. Under the new plan, BFTI will regularly conduct research on major economies, including China, India, the United States, Canada and the European Union, focusing on market developments, trade trends, potential risks and economic changes. The findings will support government policymaking and private-sector business decisions.

He also announced plans to introduce internationally accredited training programmes in collaboration with leading global universities for government officials and private-sector professionals on trade, trade law and economic policy. A network of trade law experts from both the public and private sectors will also be established.

The board approved the appointment of Dr Mostafa Abid Khan as the new Chief Executive Officer of BFTI.

The meeting was informed that BFTI is conducting several research and training programmes on trade policy, export diversification, anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard measures, as well as opportunities to expand leather exports. It is also undertaking a study on competition in Bangladesh’s air ticketing market for the Bangladesh Competition Commission.