BD to get duty-free mkt access to Chile by Jan: Tofail

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Wednesday said Bangladesh would get duty-free market access to Chile from January 1 next year which will help boost Bangladesh’s export. He said a preferential trade agreement would be signed with Chile in line with the package for least development countries (LDCs) declared in WTO’s Bali Ministerial Conference. Tofail said this when the Ambassador of Chile to Bangladesh, based in New Delhi, Cristian Barros, met him at his Secretariat office, said a PID handout. The Commerce Minister said Bangladesh currently exports readymade garment (RMG), pharmaceutical products, and jute and leather goods to the Chilean market. “There’s an ample opportunity to boost RMG export to Chile. This opportunity needs to be utilised.” Bangladesh’s export to Chile stood US$ 30.37 million last fiscal (2013-2014) against the import of only US$ 6.20 million, according to a news agency.