Dhaka: American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) hosted a breakfast meeting titled “Advancing the IPR Framework: The Way Forward” at a city hotel today. The event gathered key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, alongside senior media professionals, to engage in a dialogue on the role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in transforming Bangladesh’s business and investment ecosystem.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Syed Ershad Ahmed, President of AmCham, opened the meeting by emphasizing the strategic importance of robust IPR enforcement for the nation’s future. He highlighted that a secure IPR framework is crucial for attracting increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and for giving global importers the confidence to source products from Bangladesh.
Shilpi Jha, Senior Commercial Specialist and IP Policy Advisor-South Asia at the US Embassy, New Delhi, pointed out that the new government has a key opportunity to strengthen Bangladesh’s IP framework, attract investment, and support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). She stressed the need for improved IPR enforcement capacity and suggested mandatory training for enforcement officials to help them differentiate between patents, trademarks, copyrights, and geographical indications.
Following Jha’s address, participants shared their concerns and insights, posing questions regarding various operational aspects of intellectual property protection. The session underscored that effective IPR protection requires coordinated action across sectors, particularly in managing imports and addressing policy frameworks.
The event concluded with a consensus that building a robust IPR regime is an immediate necessity for Bangladesh to successfully graduate from LDC status and secure its position in the global supply chain. AmCham Executive Committee members Al-Mamun M Rashel, Mirza Sajib Raihan, Paul Frost (Commercial Counselor), along with other US Embassy officials, AmCham members, prominent industry stakeholders, and Executive Director of AmCham Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh, were present at the event.