Discussants at a seminar in the city on 24 th June,2013 suggested the government to act cautiously regarding TICFA agreement with United States, so that Bangladesh can have a win-win situation. They were concerned over the issues of national security and intellectual property rights.
Noted economist Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said that the US is interested in signing the deal to impose economic and military control in this region. He argued that due to TICFA deal Bangladesh may face problems over intellectual property rights in some sectors.
School of Business and Dept. of Economics of Presidency University jointly organized the seminar on "Problems and Prospects of TICFA: The Case of Bangladesh", at the university's Banani Campus.
Vice Chancellor of the varsity and Macro-Financial economist Dr. Muhammad Mahboob Ali presided over the seminar. Dr. Shamim Shakur, Visiting Faculty of BRAC University, presented the paper on the issue.
Professor Dr. Muhammad Mahboob Ali observed that though Bangladesh may face some problems due to signing of TICFA, the country will gain in the long run.
He emphasized that as a long-term development partner USA should continue GSP facilities for Bangladesh. Prof. Ali hoped that Bangladesh should produce international standard quality products and ensure its safety and peacefulness.
A number of prominent academicians, entrepreneurs, eminent policy advisers and journalists were in discussion panel as special guests including, Major General (Retired) Jamil D. Ahsan, Bir Pratik, a leading security analyst, Khandaker Ibrahim Khaled, Emeritus Professor, BIBM, Dr. Zaidi Sattar, Chairman, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh, Professor Amena Mohsin, Dept of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Aftab Ul Islam, Chairman, American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Professor Dr. Md. Amir Hossain, Dean, Faculty of Social Science, Jahangirnagar University, Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Executive Editor, the Financial Express and Shanoor Wahid, Managing Editor, the daily Independent.
Prof. Tapan Kumar Chakroborty, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Rashida Akhter, Registrar-In-charge, Farzia Mahmood, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Economics, M. Yasin Bari, Deputy Director (Administration & Admission) of the university also spoke on the occasion.