Bangladesh commerce minister Tofail Ahmed has urged the US to allow duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladesh apparels to its market. The aim is to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
The commerce minister held separate meetings with US Trade Representative Michael Froman, Congressman Sandy Levin, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Catherine A Novelli, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal and various retailers' associations.
During the meeting he informed the US officials of the progress made in the readymade garment sector in accordance with the US Action Plan for regaining the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facility in the US market. Bangladesh hopes to get back the GSP facility in the US market soon as the country feels it has made much progress in the readymade garment sector.
Ahmed praised the sincere cooperation of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), International Labor Organisation (ILO), Alliance, Accord, the US and the western countries for putting the country’s apparel sector on a strong footing. He highlighted the ongoing efforts for diversifying the export items and destinations for Bangladeshi products.
