AmCham Stresses Stronger IPR Framework for Investment Growth

The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) on Wednesday hosted a breakfast meeting titled “Advancing the IPR Framework: The Way Forward” at The Westin Dhaka, bringing together key representatives from the public and private sectors as well as senior media professionals.

The discussion focused on the importance of strengthening Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to support Bangladesh’s evolving business and investment landscape.

Opening the session, AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed underscored the strategic importance of robust IPR enforcement for the country’s economic future. He said a secure and reliable IPR framework is essential for attracting greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and enhancing the confidence of global importers and innovators in sourcing products from Bangladesh.

Speaking at the event, Shilpi Jha, Senior Commercial Specialist and IP Policy Advisor-South Asia at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, said the new government has a significant opportunity to strengthen Bangladesh’s intellectual property framework, attract investment and support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

She emphasized the need to enhance IPR enforcement capacity and recommended mandatory training for enforcement officials to enable them to effectively distinguish among patents, trademarks, copyrights and geographical indications (GI).

Following her remarks, participants raised questions and shared concerns regarding several operational aspects of intellectual property protection. The discussion highlighted the need for coordinated efforts across sectors, particularly in import management and policy reform, to ensure effective IPR enforcement.

Speakers at the event observed that establishing a robust IPR regime is crucial for Bangladesh’s successful graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and for strengthening its position in the global supply chain.

Among those present were AmCham Executive Committee members Al-Mamun M Rashel (Treasurer) and Mirza Sajib Raihan, U.S. Embassy Commercial Counselor Paul Frost and other embassy officials, AmCham members, industry stakeholders and AmCham Executive Director Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh.