US committed to help improve Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector: Bernicat

US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat has reaffirmed her country’s commitment to help improve Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector.

The envoy’s reassurance came on Wednesday during her meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s office in Dhaka.
 
Hasina’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters after the meeting that the two had discussed various bilateral and trade matters as well as issues concerning other sectors.
 
“The ambassador has said that the US is committed to helping Bangladesh in the readymade garment sector. The GSP issue was not mentioned, but she reiterated that the US decision was not political.”
 
Karim said Bernicat hailed Bangladesh for working to meet the necessary requirements. “She said the US buyers wanted to know the conditions of the workers in this sector.”
 
The US stopped extending the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) facility for Bangladeshi products in 2013 after the Tazreen factory fire and the Rana Plaza disaster that killed hundreds of garment workers.
 
Bangladesh was then given 16 conditions to fulfil for the restoration of the benefit. The government claims the conditions have been met, but the US is not yet satisfied.
 
The 2013 suspension, however, did not directly hit Bangladesh’s garment exports as it was not among the almost 5,000 commodities accorded this facility.
 
The US recently renewed the GSP facility for 122 countries, but Bangladesh was not among them.
 
Reacting to that, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed had said political considerations had influenced the US decision.
 
During Wednesday’s meeting, Bernicat also lauded the role of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers in maintaining peace across the world, and welcomed Hasina’s stance against terrorism and militancy.
 
The prime minister stressed the need to cut arms production to protect people around the world from terrorism.
 
Her Press Secretary Karim said the two also spoke about the extradition of Rashed Chowdhury, the convicted fugitive killer of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who now lives in the US.
 
He quoted Bernicat as saying, "The issue is under judicial process and it (extradition) depends on the court’s decision."
 
The US ambassador also praised the implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement between Bangladesh and India.