BD seeks UK's GSP facility until 2030

Bangladesh has sought a post-Covid extension of the UK's GSP facility for Bangladeshi products until 2030 to boost trade and also its greater support for a faster post-pandemic SDGs recovery, reports BSS.

"We want post-Brexit UK to continue its GSP, allowing zero-tariff access of Bangladeshi products to its markets until 2030, greater flexibility and concessions in Bangladesh's post-LDC graduation threshold … in the post-Covid global economic downturn," Bangladesh High Commissioner to UK Saida Muna Tasneem said.

She also sought higher climate financing by the UK for moving towards Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's low-carbon climate-resilient development strategies while addressing the UK parliament's All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on SDGs on Wednesday, a press release issued by Bangladesh mission in London said on Saturday.

"In post-Covid, Bangladesh's apparel sector export earnings that suffered unprecedented cancellations and non-payments by the UK and other global retailers, need early recovery," the Bangladesh envoy said.

This was an oral evidence session of the British parliamentary inquiry into progress and effectiveness of UK Aid in supporting Bangladesh's SDG achievements and the impact of Covid-19.

While giving evidence, Tasneem said Bangladesh, steered by its visionary Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, delivered brilliantly on its pre-Covid SDGs performances as witnessed last month during its 2nd Voluntary National Review at the UNHLPF on SDGs in New York, exceeding many SDG targets ahead of the slotted 2020 and 2025 deadlines.

The High Commissioner also apprised the APPG that having assumed the Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in 2020, the Bangladesh premier is prioritising climate financing, reducing extreme climate disaster vulnerabilities and building back a climate-resilient post-Covid future for the country and other CVF members.