The seminar was organised in Dhaka to mark the 'World Fair Trade Day', which was also observed worldwide with the slogan 'Fair Trade Organisations NOW!'

At the seminar on 'Marketing and Human Rights are not in Contradiction', the speakers said unfair practices in trade are also contributing to uneven competitions in global market making the poor countries lag far behind.

"When buyers order for shoes or trousers, they instruct us not to use any trademark that mentions our country name on the products. Perhaps they use their own label such as 'made in Italy' on the products made by us," said Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad, vice chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

"We sell a jeans at US $7 while it is sold at $70 in the USA, which is an injustice," he told the seminar organised by Ecota Fair Trade Forum (EFTA), a platform of handicraft producers' organisations.

In his keynote speech, Silvio Marconi, country representative of Italy-based human rights organisation 'Terre des hommes-Italia', described how historical identity of the third world countries is depriving them of getting access to international markets.

"When you buy a French perfume, you also buy the French Revolution, Eiffel Tower and all other French heritages, but the people of first world countries are hardly aware of the culture and heritage of third world countries," he said.

Fashion designer Bibi Russell shared some of her experiences of unfair treatments she received while marketing her products in some European countries.

Speaking as chief guest, Wolfgang Vollmann, UNESCO representative in Dhaka, said access to all types of related information is a must to create a fair trade environment and that can only be possible through raising literacy rate.

Atiur Rahman, chairman of Unnayan Shamunnay, a non-government organisation, and embassy representatives of Italy and the Netherlands in Dhaka also spoke at the seminar.