Bangladesh wants duty-free access of its products into the US. The US says such a provision is already in place but Bangladesh denies and says its products are discriminated against by the US and it gets no duty benefits. Bangladesh’s gripe is that the US gives zero duty to products to sub-Saharan African countries.

It’s possible the US attitude has been influenced by American labor groups which have campaigned for an end to trade benefits unless Bangladesh allows internationally recognized labor rights. Bangladesh alleges a conspiracy against its readymade garment sector, which is flourishing and growing. It says the US had imposed 16 conditions after the Rana Plaza tragedy, and all the conditions have been fulfilled. However, the US refuses to see it that way. The country insists it has taken steps to amend labor laws, allowing workers to unionize freely, formed a ministerial committee to ensure factory compliance and pushed through an agreement among the government, factory owners and workers to ensure worker rights. Child labor has been eliminated and many of the newer factories are world class.

There’s a fear the US attitude could prompt the European Union, which purchases two-thirds of Bangladesh's apparel exports and does allow duty-free garment imports, to follow suit.