Bangladesh Seeks Duty Free Access For Garment Exports To US
Amongst various demands, the Bangladesh government has urged the US to provide quota free as well as duty free access to Bangladeshi apparels manufactured from US cotton.
The demands were made at a US-Bangladesh TICFA Intercessional Meeting held at the office of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Commerce.
While briefing journalists after the meeting, Senior Commerce Ministry Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the garment sector of Bangladesh is now more compliant than the past.
“The workers in the sector represent the poor community and if the USA wants to contribute towards improving the living standards of these poor workers, then the US should provide duty free access,” he stated.
Ghosh gave an example of how the US has kept intact, duty free and quota free access of products of Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) of Africa. He demanded such benefits be extended to Bangladesh also.
Ghosh further said that the government has improved the labour conditions and brought necessary legal reforms in the garment sector.
“Taking all these aspects in to consideration, Bangladesh made apparels should receive duty free and quota free access in the US market,” he added.
