Turkey is likely to impose higher rate of anti-dumping duty on export of yarn/thread from Bangladesh following its failure to prove the alleged violation of the product's rules of origin. A team of Turkish consultants recently informed the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) that the Turkish government has launched a probe and the Bangladesh embassy in Turkey has also been informed about the issue through a verbal note, a BTMA source revealed.

Investigations started in December and they were warned and Bangladeshi companies need to respond within three weeks. If they don't respond, they will be subject to very high anti-dumping measures. The government of Turkey also claims products sourced from Bangladesh do not originate in this country. Bangladeshi exporters are basically circumventing existing rules they say. Around 11 companies now export yarn/thread of artificial fibres to Turkey. Irregularities have been found against five export-oriented companies out of 11, a BTMA source said.

Bangladesh textile owners fear Turkey might impose higher anti-dumping duty on exports of yarn/thread of synthetic staple fibre. This will seriously affect the country's genuine yarn exporters if the Turkish government imposes duty and stops importing the items. Some companies have just started exporting yarn/thread of synthetic staple fibres to Turkey on a small scale. "We don't want that regular exporters would get hurt by some irregular exporters. Besides, the country's image is linked with it," BTMA Secretary General Feroz Ahmed was reported to have said. He said they heard four items of yarn/thread have been brought under investigation by the Turkish government.