NGO activists to monitor role of govt representatives

"We have no basic difference with the government with regard to LDCs' demands, but we have observed that government representatives from LDCs do not take strong stance on their declared position during the conference," said Ziaul Haque Mukta, director of Karmojibi Nari while reading out the declaration of the forum styled as 'LDC@MC6' at a press conference in the city yesterday.

Over 100 representatives of the 11 NGOs along with government representatives will attend the conference scheduled for December 13-18. They will watch the meeting inside and outside of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference, said Ziaul Haque.

He also demanded duty-free access for LDCs' agricultural and non-agricultural products to the markets of developed and developing countries and free movement of labourers.

The forum comprises Centre for Policy Dialogue, Campaign for Good Governance, Karmojibi Nari, INCIDIN Bangladesh, Voice, Innovator, Actionaid Bangladesh, Development Dew, Jagrata Juba Sangha (JJS) of Khulna, Lokoj and Ubinig.

Rezaul Karim, general secretary of the Campaign for Good Governance, said their forum will focus on the interest of the LDCs and try to involve the civil society organisations from other LDCs to raise voice collectively in favour of the 32 LDC members at the WTO forum.

Ahmed Swapan, executive director of Voice, Abul Hossain of Labour Forum in WTO, Mir Abul Kalam Azad, general secretary of Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Karmachari Federation, and Shahadat Islam Chowdhury, executive director of Pradip, also spoke.