The first round of negotiations for the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was held in Dhaka Bangladesh from May 19 to 23.
The meeting was attended by, on the Japanese side, Mr. Taketani Atsushi, Ambassador in charge of Economic Diplomacy, Deputy Director-General of, Economic Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and representatives from other relevant ministries, and on the Bangladesh side, Dr. Ahmad Munirus Saleheen, Chairman of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and representatives from other relevant ministries.
In this round of negotiation, both sides exchanged their views on the method of negotiations and a broad range of negotiating areas such as Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Investment, Electronic Commerce, and Intellectual Property.
Both sides decided to work on scheduling the dates of the second round of negotiations through diplomatic channels.
On 19 May, Ambassador IWAMA Kiminori participated in the Opening session of the Negotiation with Mr Ahasanul Islam Titu Honorable State Minister for Commerce, Mr. Md. Selim Uddin, new Secretary of Ministry of Commerce, Dr. Ahmad Munirus Saleheen, Chairman of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and Chief negotiator of Bangladesh side.