Ticfa meeting in city Monday

The first-ever meeting under the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (Ticfa) between Dhaka and Washington begins in the city Monday, aiming to identify and address obstacles to further expanding bilateral trade and investment.
However, a series of meetings will be held Sunday between the two sides before the key Ticfa meeting, said a senior official at the Commerce Ministry Saturday, according to a news agency.
The USA will have a large, high-level team, accompanied by a private sector delegation representing its many finest companies.
The Ticfa meeting will review bilateral trades and investment between the two countries, progress on ‘Bangladesh Action Plan 2013’ for GSP restoration and the US investment in Bangladesh.
The issue of duty- and quota-free access to the US market also may come up for discussions at the meeting.
Assistant US Trade Representative for South Asia Michael J Delaney will lead the US side while Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed will lead the home side to the meeting to be held at city’s Sonargaon Hotel.
Meanwhile, a visiting US delegation, including US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena, will meet Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed at his Secretariat office at 11am Sunday and discuss various bilateral issues, said another official at the Commerce Ministry.
After the meeting, the delegation will go to the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to attend a programme where issues related to trade and investment will be discussed.
The DCCI and American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) will jointly host the event at the DCCI auditorium at 12:30pm.
Head of the US delegation Michael J Delaney will be present as the chief guest, said a DCCI official.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed, AmCham President Aftab ul Islam and DCCI President Mohammad Shahjahan Khan will also attend the meeting.