Suggest economists, former diplomat
Economists and a former diplomat on Thursday said that Bangladesh should continue its diplomatic effort to revive generalised system of preferences in the US market as the facility was crucial more for the country’s image than for the economic benefit.
If the government took proper steps in time the country would not have faced the suspension of GSP facility in the US market, they said while speaking at a programme at Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium of the Central Public Library in the city.
Former caretaker government adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam said, ‘In some cases political considerations influence economy and in some other cases economic decisions influence politics.’
‘Many say that the GSP facility in the US market is not necessary for Bangladesh. But they are not right. The economic value of GSP facility in the US is minimal for Bangladesh but it has a significant signalling value,’ he said.
The suspension of the GSP in the US market is a bad signal and if Bangladesh can revive the facility it will give a positive signal to the other countries across the world, Azizul said.
He urged the government to fulfil the conditions provided by the US and to continue diplomatic negotiations to revive the GSP facility in the US market.
Policy Research Institute executive director Ahsan H Mansur said that the suspension of GSP facility in the US market did not happen overnight and Rana Plaza building collapse was a tipping point for it.
He suggested that the government should ensure more engagement with the US as it would not possible to win the trade facility in the US through confrontation.
‘We have to take initiatives so that the prevailing status does not linger,’ Mansur said.
They were speaking at the unveiling ceremony of a book ‘The US GSP: Economy or Politics’ authored by Ranjan Sen.
‘If we took proper steps in time we would not have faced GSP suspension
by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.by the US government,’ said M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador to the US.
He said that revival of the GSP facility could not be the only target but could be a step for Bangladesh on the way to win quota- and duty-free access in the US market.
‘And to avail duty-free access in the US we have to complete the reform programmes that have started in the readymade garment sector,’ Humayun said.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said that most of the conditions of GSP action plan provided by the US government had been fulfilled and the remaining conditions would be fulfilled within a short period of time.
He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to revive the GSP facility in the US market if the US Congress renews the programme.
Factory owners are now much more aware about the compliance issues and also the government is committed to ensuring workers rights and safety, the commerce minister said.
Earlier, the commerce minister on several occasions had said that Bangladesh did not need GSP in the US market.
He had said that despite the suspension of GSP facility, the export to the US had been increasing and Bangladesh used to get only $30 million GSP benefits before it was suspended in June last year.
The RMG sector successfully faced a number of challenges like child labour issue and the world economic meltdown and the sector will also address successfully the challenge of GSP in the US market, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association.
American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh president Aftab ul Islam and IndustriAll Bangladesh council secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra attended the programme, among others.
-With New Age input