The Bangladesh government has to emphasise more on the labour rights issues to restore the generalised system of preference in the US market, the US ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat said on Tuesday. ‘Bangladesh has made significant improvement in the workers safety and we acknowledge that. But there is scope for more to do in the workers rights issues. For the GSP, Bangladesh should emphasis on the labour rights issues,’ she said while addressing as chief guest at the opening session of annual meeting of International Business Forum of Bangladesh. She said improving the economic relations between the two countries is one of the focus of the US government. ‘The talks on Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) will take place later in the year,’ she said. Bernicat also said that the local business community also needed to focus on expatriate Bangladeshis to get them involved in the investment process of the country. ‘There are Bangladeshis in USA who want to invest in their own country and looking for a link. This is one area where the local business people should engage more,’ she said. Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said Bangladesh economy is in a fast lane and now the local businessmen are keen to invest in other countries. ‘Now we are looking for agricultural investment in African countries like Gambia and Senegal as those countries value our expertise in this field. So that is a sign of progress,’ he said. IBFB president Hafizur Rahman Khan said the country has huge potentials but the political uncertainty is affecting the economy. ‘I would like to request the political parties, irrespective of their views, to ensure the political stability so that we business people can do our work properly,’ he said. He also urged the government to develop the infrastructure by building highways to better connectivity across the country.
