Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has announced that the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) will be transformed into a modern, efficient and self-sustaining knowledge-based institution aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity in international trade.
Speaking at the 62nd board meeting of the institute held at the Ministry of Commerce conference room in Dhaka on Tuesday, the minister said the long-term goal is to make BFTI financially independent while turning it into a national centre of excellence for trade-related expertise.
He explained that the institute is being restructured to serve as a permanent knowledge hub supporting Bangladesh’s participation in global trade negotiations, including engagements under the World Trade Organisation framework.
As part of the reform initiative, a permanent panel of experts will be formed under BFTI. The panel will include specialists in trade policy, international law, and research from both public and private sectors. It will assist the government in dispute settlement cases, trade policy formulation, and bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.
The minister said strengthening BFTI’s analytical and advisory capacity would help safeguard national interests in increasingly complex global commerce.
The board also approved plans to appoint a qualified Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to provide dynamic leadership and improve institutional efficiency.
In addition, postgraduate diploma programmes in international trade, trade law, and trade policy research will be introduced, subject to approval from the University Grants Commission Bangladesh. These programmes aim to build a skilled workforce in specialised trade fields.
The meeting further emphasised expanding research activities, enhancing training facilities, and building collaborative networks with international institutions.
Senior officials from key ministries, trade bodies and business organisations, including the Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, BGMEA, DCCI, MCCI and ICC Bangladesh, attended the meeting, along with BFTI CEO Dr Saif Uddin Ahmed.
