Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for writing an article in The Washington Times, a US newspaper, in which she had apparently advocated the cancellation of Bangladesh’s preferential trade partner status.
Published : 29 Jun 2013, 02:15 PM
Khaleda Zia had earlier in the day denied having written any such article, but Hasina insisted she indeed was the author.
Hasina told Parliament on Saturday, “There is a lot of similarity between that article and her (Khaleda Zia’s) speech today.”
The Prime Minister said, “We are being very tolerant. America has withdrawn the GSP. Whoever drafted her (Khaleda Zia) speech did a very good job.”
“America has been threatening to cancel the GSP ever since 2007. We have worked to improve workers’ condition. Garment workers used to get Tk 1500 to Tk 1600 when the BNP was in power. We have increased it by 82 percent.”
The leader of the opposition wrote to the Washington Times suggesting that the GSP be revoked.