DHAKA, June 20, 2023 (BSS) - The fourth meeting of Logistics Infrastructure

Development Working Committee (LIDWC) was held at the Prime Minister's Office
(PMO) here on Monday.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mohammad Salahuddin, secretary of PMO, and Abul
Kasem Khan, former chairperson of BUILD, said a press release here today.

Chairperson of BUILD Nihad Kabir attended the meeting and spoke.

BUILD CEO Ara Begum presented committee's comprehensive plan of activities
for the next year 2023-24. The Committee will work extensively in
coordination with the National Logistics Development Coordination Committee
(NLDCC) formed in the PMO and its five sub-committees.

Speakers urged to simplify the existing policy framework for the logistics
sector to achieve national growth target, strengthen capacity in trade and
investment for reducing the cost of business.

Bangladesh cannot be behind while other South and Southeast Asian countries
are taking the lead in extending logistics support and already have set out
policies and strategies.

The committee stressed reducing the costs of logistics and setting out plan
rightly, and acting accordingly so that costs can be reduced gradually.

LIDWC will extend all possible assistance to NLDCC and its sub-committees to
ensure a holistic logistics sector. Development partners may come forward to
provide financial support to implement the work plan of LIDWC where BUILD can
coordinate with other relevant agencies.

It was decided that BUILD will share the workshop (Formulating National
Logistics Industry Development Policy for Bangladesh: Experience from Global
Good Practices held in November 2022) outcomes in the upcoming third NLDCC
meeting.

Moreover, LIDWC will form a structured and strong network among the
stakeholders to gather inputs from private to private and private to
government through consultations, develop trade logistics tool kit and
logistics index formulation, identification of demand and priority selection
of private sector, coordination among trade logistics and trade facilitation
initiatives, facilitate the NLDCC, sub-committees, and PMO through research,
technical and secretarial support as a dialogue platform.

The session was graced by valuable remarks from the representatives of the
Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Commerce,
Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Rail, Road Transport and Highway Division,
Bridge Division, Bangladesh Bank (BB), Bangladesh Investment Development
Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Dhaka Chamber
of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(CCCI), Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BAFFA), Bangladesh Supply
Chain Management Society (BSCMS), International Finance Corporation (IFC),
etc.