Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said Thursday Bangladesh would fulfil all the conditions required for revival of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facilities by next month. It would send a report to the United States by April to help restore the benefit.
"We have already fulfilled 13 conditions out of 16. The rest will be fulfilled by March 30. We will send a report on it to the US by April 15," he said at a meeting with the delegation of International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) at his secretariat office on the day.
Hafizur Rahman Khan, president of IBFB, led the 26-member delegation.
The commerce minister expressed the hope that Bangladesh would regain the GSP facilities from the US soon as it has fulfilled almost all the conditions.
"I hope Bangladesh will get back GSP facilities from the US soon as the country has fulfilled almost all the conditions, including those related to occupational safety and workers' rights, raised by the US," he said, adding that if the US decided against restoration it could be due to political reasons.
The government has already taken steps to appoint 200 factory inspectors. Trade union activities at the Export Processing Zones, and the decision on 19 ready-made garment (RMG) factories that were yet to follow compliance would be placed at a meeting on February 17 next, ministry sources said.
There is an allegation against 19 RMG units that the managements of these garment factories have been opposing the formation of trade union bodies and their activities.
The trade union activities have not been allowed in the EPZs since their establishment in the country. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) have put pressure on the authorities for allowing trade union activities in the EPZs.
Earlier, a delegation of Bangladesh-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) met with the commerce minister at his secretariat office on the day. President of BMCCI, KB Ahmed led the 6-member delegation.
It called upon the government to take steps for increasing trade with Myanmar that will strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
The delegation also called upon the government to enhance border trade and go ahead with the signing of the coastal shipping agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar that will boost two-way trade.
It proposed the launch a flight on Dhaka-Chittagong-Yangon-Bangkok route. At present, Biman Bangladesh Airlines operates two flights a week between Dhaka and Yangon.
Myanmar is both geographically and economically a strategic neighbour of Bangladesh. There are vast scopes for cooperation in developing energy and natural resources, to the benefit of both the countries, said the president of BMCCI.
He called upon the government to develop road communications with Myanamar by strengthening the proposed regional economic corridor of BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar).
The commerce minister assured the delegation that the government would take all necessary steps to increase bilateral trade with Myanmar.
He stressed coordination among the ministries of commerce, industries, foreign affairs and finance for smooth functioning of bilateral trade with Myanmar.
Bangladesh exports frozen foods, agro products, chemical products, leather and jute products etc to Myanmar, while imports vegetables, prepared foods, beverage, footwear, products for chemical use and other allied industries, paper and paperboard etc.
Bangladesh exported goods worth US$ 13.67 million to Myanmar, while imported goods worth $84 million during the fiscal year 2012-13.
