The US Trade Representative (USTR) on Tuesday stressed labour law reforms as well as lowering the threshold requirement for trade union registration and bilateral trade between the two countries.
On the other hand, Bangladeshi apparel makers pressed for fair prices of locally-made readymade garments, duty benefits for exporting clothes made of US cotton, and funds for small and medium manufacturing units.
The issues were discussed when Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch and Trade Policy Analyst for South and Central Asia Emily Ashby met Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Administrator Anwar Hossain in a city hotel.
BGMEA former president Faruque Hassan, former senior vice president Abdullah Hil Rakib, and support committee members Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, Asif Ashraf, and ANM Saifuddin, among others, were present at the meeting.
When asked, BGMEA former president Hassan said manufacturers had informed the delegation of the law amendment progress. He said they could not specify the possible amendments, but ensured those would further benefit workers.
He, however, said they had reiterated the demand for duty benefits for exporting garments, made of American cotton, to the US.
"We have sought their support to ensure fair apparel prices so that buyers raise prices taking into account the latest annual wage hike," Hassan told The Financial Express after the meeting.
He said they had also sought support to ensure funds for small and medium factories. "These units need financial support the most, but they do not get it, unfortunately."
The meeting focused on key issues of bilateral trade, with a particular emphasis on the US-Bangladesh Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA).
During the meeting, the BGMEA administrator provided an overview of the remarkable progress made by Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry in recent years, highlighting the progress made in the areas of workplace safety, workers' rights, labour law reforms, and environmental sustainability.
The meeting underscored the importance of productive dialogue through TICFA to further enhance bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
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