Bangladesh will press for a Global Food Security Compact whereby the UN should initiate informational cooperation to expand food availability at the forthcoming UNCTAD XII Conference in Accra, Ghana, next week, reports UNB.

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said this to the media at his office Wednesday morning while sharing some views on the upcoming UNCTAD meet.

The Foreign Adviser observed that the recent worldwide shortages in grain supply is significant enough issue for the United Nations to focus on as a priority.

"New Green Revolutions should be inspired through more research and development on food production and distribution of high-yielding seed varieties, and expanding acreage in agriculture should constitute elements of this ''thrust-programme''.

"Bangladesh will press for this, along with a package of other ideas, as Chairman of the Group of Least Developed Countries in order to mainstream them in the global economy, at UNCTAD XII in Accra," he said. The UNCTAD Conference, an event that takes place every four years, begins in Ghana''s capital on April 20.

Earlier on April 19, there will be a Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries to finalize the LDC position in that conference. The LDC Ministerial Conference will be chaired by Dr. Iftekhar Chowdhury. He said, "Bangladesh will field a strong delegation to represent the LDCs and Bangladesh effectively at Accra."

The theme of this Conference is ''Addressing the opportunities and challenges of globalization for development''. Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury said this is a timely one under the present circumstances when the developing countries are struggling to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, "and as is obvious, many will fail to meet the targets unless additional efforts are made".

The Foreign Adviser noted that among the Least Developed Countries are some most vulnerable ones as they are hit hardest by "food shortages, lower prices for their exportable commodities and tariff and non-tariff market restrictions".

What is needed now is a package that must include for the LDCs a reinforced special and differential regime, duty-and quota-free market access for all products of all LDCs in a commercially meaningful way, improved mobility of labour under Mode-4 of GATS, and a strengthened UNCTAD to assist policy-oriented research, technical assistance, and investments, he added.

He further underscored the importance of initiatives like ''aid for trade,'' and greater policy-space and flexibility within the framework of a developmental state. Chowdhury said that access to knowledge and technology transfer are also important elements.

He also stated that under the Enhanced Integrated Framework, "Bangladesh could be a good candidate for infra-structural projects as deep-sea ports, Dhaka-Chittagong Highway and the development of Mongla Port".

Bangladesh was elected Chair of the LDCs last September during the United Nations General Assembly Session in New York. "We have been preparing to lead the Group at UNCTAD. Our Missions in Geneva and New York, the relevant Government Ministries and the Think Tanks have been working hard at it. I hope a good programme will emerge out of Accra," he further said.

"The entire global community shares a common responsibility. In today''s world, when one person is hungry, the pangs should be shared by all," the Foreign Adviser observed.