Strong IP frameork crucial after LDC graduation: Experts

Bangladesh needs a stronger legal and institutional framework to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) as the country moves beyond the LDC category, experts and policymakers said on Monday.

They warned that changes in the global intellectual property regime could pose new challenges to key sectors, including pharmaceuticals, readymade garments, information technology and agriculture.

At the same time, they said the changing landscape could create opportunities for innovation, technological advancement, branding and value addition if Bangladesh strengthens research and development and improves coordination between the government and private sector.

They made the observations at a focus group discussion titled “Industrial Shift in the Post-LDC Era: Strategies for IPR Issues of Key Industries” at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) auditorium on Monday.

The DCCI, Support to Sustainable Graduation Project (SSGP) and Economic Relations Division (ERD) jointly organised the event.

ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky attended the programme as chief guest.

In his introductory remarks, AHM Jahangir, additional secretary and project director of SSGP, said the private sector would face some of the biggest challenges in the post-LDC period.

He stressed the need for effective enforcement of intellectual property laws, preparations by industries for the transition and formulation of necessary policies.

DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said the importance of IPR was increasing in the global economy and that Bangladesh needed a strong IPR ecosystem after graduation from the LDC category.

“Bangladesh should focus not only on increasing production in promising sectors such as pharmaceuticals and readymade garments, but also on innovation, branding, technology transfer and value addition,” he said.

He identified delays in the existing IPR system, weak institutional coordination, policy gaps, limited institutional capacity and inadequate awareness among businesses as major challenges.

Taskeen proposed establishing a modern IPR office, setting up IP tribunals in Dhaka and Chattogram for faster dispute resolution, introducing an automated digital system for trademark registration and recruiting skilled manpower.

He also called for greater awareness among entrepreneurs, particularly small and medium-sized businesses.

Shahriar Kader Siddiky said locally produced goods had significant demand in the domestic market, while better designs and quality could create greater export opportunities.

He said although funds were allocated for research, those funds were not always being properly utilised. At the same time, there were concerns over inadequate research allocations.

“This indicates a lack of coordination, which needs to be addressed,” he said.

The ERD secretary said the government was introducing a special fund for the SME sector, but stressed that strengthening entrepreneurs' capacity would be essential for sustainable development.

He said the SSGP project was providing sector-specific technical assistance and that necessary amendments and reforms would be made to relevant policies.

He also said initiatives had been taken to bring government services under digital operations.

Presenting the keynote paper, Mohammad Ataul Karim, Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford and former consultant at the WIPO Academy, said Bangladesh's industries needed to make strategic use of IPR to adapt to the post-LDC environment.

He said TRIPS and potential TRIPS-plus obligations could create new challenges for pharmaceuticals, software and IT, agriculture and industrial design.

However, he also pointed to opportunities for innovation, technological advancement and industrial transformation.

Karim stressed the need to use the legal flexibilities available to Bangladesh under the existing IPR regime while strengthening research and development, industry-academia collaboration and incentives for innovation.

During the panel discussion, Md Jahangir Hossain, director general of the Department of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks, said each industrial sector should formulate its own action plan to address post-LDC challenges.

Abdul Baki, project adviser of SSGP and former secretary, said Bangladesh should make effective use of the extended timeframe for LDC graduation through greater coordination among government agencies and closer cooperation with the private sector.

Major General Dr Md Shahedul Islam (retd), secretary general of BGMEA, said effective enforcement of domestic IPR laws and incentives for entrepreneurs would be important in addressing post-LDC challenges.

He said BGMEA had already established a Centre of Excellence where work on new product design and intellectual property in the RMG sector would be undertaken.

KSM Mostafizur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Agrochemical Manufacturers Association, called for the agrochemical sector to be treated as a priority and for updated policies to be formulated.

Raisul Kabir, founder and CEO of Brain Station 23, said Bangladesh could not depend solely on outsourcing to achieve future growth and needed to give greater priority to technological innovation.

He called for stronger academia-industry collaboration and better protection and enforcement of intellectual property in the IT sector.

Faez Ahmed, deputy general manager of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, cautioned that strict enforcement of international IPR rules in the domestic pharmaceutical market after LDC graduation could increase medicine prices and put additional pressure on consumers.

He said the issue needed to be considered alongside efforts to strengthen the sector's technological capabilities.

Md Azizur Rahman FCS, director general of the Intellectual Property Association of Bangladesh, stressed creative engineering, branding of locally developed products, skills development and adoption of new technologies.

Dr Abureza M Muzareba, professor at the University of Dhaka's Faculty of Business Studies, called for stronger public-private collaboration in developing new products and technologies.

He also stressed the need to obtain geographical indication (GI) status for locally produced products and ensure their commercialisation.

Representatives of various government and private institutions and members of the DCCI board were present at the discussion.