Regional and Multilateral Trade Liberalisation and their Impacts on Bangladesh

WTO’s Doha Development round places the needs and interests of the least-developed countries (LDCs) at the top of its agenda. According to World Bank (2002) estimates, when completed, the Doha Round is expected to lift 320 million out of absolute poverty as well as lift global income by $2.8 trillion by 2015. Bangladesh is one of the few countries that would be left from such bounty and actually stand to lose from such multilateral trade liberalisation. This research quantifies these losses along with their sources. For Bangladesh, the potential gain from free trade is more likely to be obtained in its regional trading arrangements with neighbouring countries, especially India. Trade liberalisation by India alone will bring most of the gains for Bangladesh at the same time providing maximum benefits to India’s booming economy