The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) has called for stronger intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement, saying a robust framework is critical to attracting foreign direct investment and strengthening Bangladesh’s competitiveness ahead of LDC graduation.
AmCham leaders said at a breakfast meeting in the capital on Wednesday titled “Advancing the IPR Framework: The Way Forward” that improved IPR protection would enhance investor confidence, support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and reinforce Bangladesh’s position in global supply chains.
AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed said a secure IPR system is essential for attracting foreign direct investment and ensuring global buyers have confidence in sourcing from Bangladesh.
“Enforcement strength will be central to sustaining long-term investment inflows,” he added.
US Embassy Senior Commercial Specialist and IP Policy Advisor South Asia Shilpi Jha said Bangladesh has an opportunity to strengthen its IP framework under the new administration, stressing improved enforcement capacity and mandatory training for officials to distinguish between patents, trademarks, copyrights and geographical indications.
Participants discussed operational challenges in IP protection, with emphasis on coordinated enforcement across agencies and stronger alignment in import monitoring and policy implementation.
The meeting concluded that a strengthened IPR regime is essential for Bangladesh’s transition beyond LDC status and for improving its position in global value chains.
