Newly appointed Commerce Secretary Md. Ataur Rahman Khan has joined the Ministry of Commerce. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir formally welcomed the secretary to the ministry and introduced him to its officials.
Additional secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy secretaries and other officials attended the introductory session held Tuesday in the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat.
The newly appointed secretary’s strong academic and professional background, and his earlier experience working at the commerce ministry, would bring fresh momentum to the ministry’s work, the minister said.
Through skilled leadership, coordinated teamwork and equal opportunity for all, the Ministry of Commerce would play a more effective and productive role in the coming days, he said.
He said Bangladesh was holding talks on several free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries. To take part in those important negotiations more effectively, the FTA team would be expanded and strengthened, and new skilled manpower and specialized expertise would be added, he said.
Muktadir said a larger and more capable team would have to be formed once formal talks on a free trade agreement with the European Union begin. International cooperation would be sought to build the necessary capacity and skills for that, he said. The World Trade Organization (WTO) and various EU partner agencies had expressed interest in helping Bangladesh in this area, he said.
Stressing equal opportunity for the ministry’s officials and staff, the minister said everyone must be treated fairly so that talented and capable officials could fully use their skills and potential. Capable people must be encouraged without creating any unnecessary obstacles, he said.
Addressing the commerce secretary, the minister said: “It is my personal belief that your academic and professional experience has given you the ability to lead with skill. Under your leadership, the Ministry of Commerce will become a more dynamic, capable and result-oriented institution in the coming days.”
Commerce Secretary Md. Ataur Rahman Khan said everyone must work together to meet, within the set timeframe, the targets fixed for the ministry under the government’s 180-day action plan, the plan for the next fiscal year and the five-year development plan. He said he expected everyone’s cooperation in taking and implementing quick decisions on the capacity of the ministry’s departments and agencies, ongoing agreements, policies and treaties.
He expressed hope that the set targets could be achieved through the combined efforts of the ministry’s dedicated officials under the minister’s leadership.
Stressing inter-ministerial coordination, he said issues between the commerce ministry and the agriculture, industries, labor and other related ministries should be quickly identified and resolved.
On the work of Bangladesh’s commercial missions abroad, he said the missions needed to become more target-driven and result-oriented as the times demanded. He also stressed the regular evaluation of the missions’ performance in meeting their targets.
Additional secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy secretaries and other officials of the Ministry of Commerce attended the event.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report