Team off to US to pursue duty-free market access
Monday, 19 April 2010
FE Report
A high level business delegation has left Dhaka on Sunday for the United States with the mission to persuade US lawmakers and business leaders for duty-free entry of Bangladesh goods into the US market.
During their visit during April 19-22, the delegation headed by acting commerce secretary M Golam Hossain will meet US congressman Jim McDermott and persuade him to proceed with the New Partnership for Trade and Development Act (NPTDA) 2009, official source said.
They also have plans to meet the acting president of Cotton Council International, senior staff of senate finance committee and wage and means committee, top officials of USTR, president of American Apparel and Footwear Association and US based workers association AFL-CIO.
American congressman Jim McDermott on November 18, 2009 proposed the NPTDA-2009 act at the 111th congress to allow underdeveloped countries from Africa and Asia duty-free access to US market. The proposed act is now under consideration at the House Ways and Means Committee of the US congress.
NPTDA-2009 is considered as the most environmentally friendly and patronising bill ever passed in US congress to help Bangladesh and other under-developed countries.
Other members of the delegation are, director general of commerce ministry Amitav Chakrabarty, 2nd vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) M Shafiul Islam and BGMEA director Arshed Jamal, general manager of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) A Z M Azizur Rahman and Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Dr Mustafizur Rahman.
USA for years maintained its status as the largest buyer of Bangladeshi products accounting for 26 per cent of the country's total export earnings. In 2008-09 fiscal year the country exported goods worth US$ 4.05 billion to the North American state alone.
Export of readymade garments to USA was US$ 3693.39 million in FY 2008-09 contributing almost 30 per cent of global export.
A high level business delegation has left Dhaka on Sunday for the United States with the mission to persuade US lawmakers and business leaders for duty-free entry of Bangladesh goods into the US market.
During their visit during April 19-22, the delegation headed by acting commerce secretary M Golam Hossain will meet US congressman Jim McDermott and persuade him to proceed with the New Partnership for Trade and Development Act (NPTDA) 2009, official source said.
They also have plans to meet the acting president of Cotton Council International, senior staff of senate finance committee and wage and means committee, top officials of USTR, president of American Apparel and Footwear Association and US based workers association AFL-CIO.
American congressman Jim McDermott on November 18, 2009 proposed the NPTDA-2009 act at the 111th congress to allow underdeveloped countries from Africa and Asia duty-free access to US market. The proposed act is now under consideration at the House Ways and Means Committee of the US congress.
NPTDA-2009 is considered as the most environmentally friendly and patronising bill ever passed in US congress to help Bangladesh and other under-developed countries.
Other members of the delegation are, director general of commerce ministry Amitav Chakrabarty, 2nd vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) M Shafiul Islam and BGMEA director Arshed Jamal, general manager of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) A Z M Azizur Rahman and Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Dr Mustafizur Rahman.
USA for years maintained its status as the largest buyer of Bangladeshi products accounting for 26 per cent of the country's total export earnings. In 2008-09 fiscal year the country exported goods worth US$ 4.05 billion to the North American state alone.
Export of readymade garments to USA was US$ 3693.39 million in FY 2008-09 contributing almost 30 per cent of global export.