BD to push GSP, RMG in post-deal meeting

Bangladesh would press for preferential market access for its apparel items and revival of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) in the first meeting after signing the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TICFA) with the US on November 25 in Washington, a top trade official said.
Dhaka seemed optimistic that the US administration would give a green signal by next month about revival of the GSP facility following signing of the TICFA, he added.
The US suspended the trade facility in June this year over poor working conditions in Bangladesh's garment factories, though garments were not under the purview of the facility.
"We'll request the US in the first TICFA forum meet after signing of the deal to grant preferential market access for our readymade garments (RMG) and revive the GSP facility for our other products in the latter's market as soon as possible," commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the FE Thursday.
He said Bangladesh made significant improvement in labour welfare and workplace safety. "So, now we can demand revival of the GSP facility and our apparel items' preferential access to the US market," he added.
Mr Ahmed said the US wanted to discuss cooperation under the TICFA in the maiden meeting after the deal.
However, sources in the ministry of commerce (MoC) said in the TICFA forum meet the US administration would also discuss allowing entry of some US medicine items in Bangladesh's markets.
Presently Bangladesh does not allow import of medicines which the local companies manufacture.
Besides, the US will also discuss the access of cotton, produced in Western Hampshire, to Bangladesh's market without any non-tariff barrier.
According to officials, generally cotton grown in Western Hampshire is infested with insects.
The Bangladesh Import Policy Order does not allow import of any insect-infested cotton. Cotton needs to be insect-free before its entry to Bangladeshi ports. The US thinks the condition is hampering its cotton export to Bangladesh.
The TICFA is scheduled to be signed on November 25 in Washington.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed will sign the deal on behalf of the Bangladesh side and deputy US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler on behalf of the other side.
An eight-member Bangladesh delegation will leave Dhaka for Washington on November 23 to sign the deal and meet the US officials in the first post-TICFA meeting.
The cabinet in June this year gave go-ahead on TICFA and assigned the MoC to handle the issue of signing the deal.
The TICFA is considered as a platform, under which all the bilateral issues will be discussed and settled.
Bangladesh has been negotiating on the trade and investment deal with the USA since 2002.