Washington Wants Bangladeshi Government to Clarify Stand on Terrorism

The United States wants Bangladesh's new government to clarify its stands on key issues, including war against terrorism, before considering its request for duty and quota free access of the country's ready made garments (RMG) to the U.S. market.

The Daily Star Sunday quoted highly places sources in the Commerce Ministry as saying that the U.S. government wants to get a clear idea of what would now be Bangladesh's stand on its "war against terrorism,".

There are also indications that Washington would like to know Dhaka's present stand on the issue of gas export, which has long been a demand of the international oil companies working in Bangladesh.

The Bush Administration would also ask for "a clear cut decision" from the Khaleda Zia Government as regards a private container terminal project at Chittagong Port with U.S. investment. The project has long been in the cold due to opposition from certain quarters including port trade unions.

The immediate past caretaker administration in Bangladesh had agreed in principle to a U.S. request last month to allow use of the country's strategic facilities in the U.S.-led war against terrorism.

However, following takeover by the new government after the October 1 general election, the United States now wants to be assured of Bangladesh's long-term commitment to " the global effort against terrorism ", specially because some "fundamentalist parties " are partners in the new government, the sources said.

The U.S. administration's intention was known a day after the Commerce Ministry decided to send a high powered delegation, including garment manufacturers, to Washington to lobby for the country's request.

The lobbyist, appointed by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in the United States to pursue the issue, has conveyed Washington's stand.

The country has long been demanding duty and quota free access of its RMG products to the U.S. market, but could not achieve it due to lack of efforts.

The United States is Bangladesh's major RMG export market and about 40 percent of the country's 5 billion U.S. dollars earning from apparels comes from there.

Over the last few months, the country's apparel export to the United States was falling sharply, specially after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Many factories were closed due to lack of export order. According to a recent study by BGMEA, more than 35 percent RMG units out of the 3,500 do not have any work and another 25 percent are surviving on sub-contract.

Besides, a U.S. bill which gave 72 Sub-Saharan and Caribbean countries duty and quota free access of RMG products to U.S. market, is now affecting the prospects of Bangladesh's apparel export growth.

In this context, garment manufacturers and exporters in Bangladesh want all-out government efforts to get duty and quota free access of the country's RMG products to U.S. market.






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