The proposed Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA) will help in expansion of trade between Bangladesh and the US, foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni said on Wednesday. “TICFA is an official platform that can resolve problems in trade and commerce. Of course, the agreement will be mutually beneficial for Bangladesh and US and trade expansion, provided we formulate it in such a manner that it will protect the interests of both countries,” she told a press conference at the foreign ministry.
The briefing was organised to apprise journalists of her recent tour of US, as well as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Thailand.
“We have a long negotiation as to what will be included in the agreement. We have our interests and so does the US. So, all interests should be protected and that is why the negotiation took so long,” the minister added.
She, however, did not say as to when the agreement would be signed and whether the government had made a decision to sign it. “It’s for the government to decide on principles. After the Cabinet’s approval, we can say that this is a government decision. It will be premature, if I say it will be signed today or very soon. After the Cabinet’s approval, it will be decided as to when it will be signed,” she added.
Asked if the foreign ministry had approved the agreement, Dipu Moni said, “It’s not a matter of a single ministry. Discussions are on through an inter-ministerial mechanism. Negotiations have been going on for a long time involving the foreign, commerce and labour ministries.”
On her view on continuing with GSP for Bangladeshi products, the foreign minister said, “Exports under GSP facility is very negligible and it is much less than one per cent of the total exports to US. But, it is important for Bangladesh for the continuation of the facility, because it is related to the image of the exporting country. So we want GSP facility to continue. It is necessary to ensure that it does not have any adverse effect on other markets.”
“We want the continuation of GSP and whatever needed to be done will be done in this regard,” she said, adding that there was no connection between TICFA and GSP.
Dipu Moni said concern among the US policymakers has increased after the Rana Plaza tragedy at Savar. “I believe that we have been able to make them understand that Bangladesh has taken effective measures to ensure labour rights and safety at workplaces.”
She added: “We had started taking measures before the Savar tragedy. Naturally, we have intensified our efforts after the collapse of Rana Plaza. We have to resolve the problems. All of us will have to work together, to address these issues.”
The minister said Bangladesh had apprised the US authorities of the government’s initiatives, including an amendment of the labour law and Washington’s response appeared to be positive.
Asked about jute minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui‘s communication to US ambassador Dan W Mozena, the foreign minister said, “We were not informed about the letter, before it was sent. We were informed later. As far as I know, he (Siddiqui) wrote the letter in his personal capacity. The ambassador’s comments were published in a section of the media. The minister made his reaction known to the ambassador in the letter.”
Asked if writing such a letter, bypassing the foreign ministry, went beyond diplomatic norms, Dipu Moni said, “He (Siddiqui) informed me that he had written the letter in his personal capacity. He did not use government letterhead. The letter was sent through email.”
-With The Independent input
