US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat will write to the US Congressmen seeking tariff reduction on export of Bangladeshi garments products to the country. State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu told the media that the US Ambassador assured him of it when she paid a courtesy call on him at the ministry on Sunday afternoon. “The US envoy has assured me that she would send a letter to the Congressmen of her country, asking for tariff cut for export of Bangladeshi apparel to US,” Chunnu said. “This will be a bigger opportunity than that of the generalized system of preference [GSP],” the state minister quoted the US ambassador as saying. The current rate of tariff on export of Bangladeshi apparel to US is 16 percent. Chunnu said they discussed the issues like factory inspection, workers’ rights and trade union registration. “During the discussion, I raised the GSP issue. Bernicat said that Bangladesh has fulfilled most of the conditions, excepting a few, for getting back the GSP facilities,” he said. However, the state minister said Bangladesh has already fulfilled all the conditions for regaining the GSP status. Replying to a query about human trafficking, Chunnu said, “Around 12 to 15 lakh people are entering the country’s job market every year. It is true that we cannot provide job to all of them…but illegal human trafficking can no way be accepted.” “I think there is a syndicate who is trafficking innocent people by duping them with fake job offers. The government is conscious of it. The home ministry has taken steps to identify those who are involved in human trafficking,” he said. Regarding human trafficking, the US Ambassador said, “It is a big issue. The US government is working on the issue. We are also working with Bangladesh government and all other countries concerned in this regard.” Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar was also present during the meeting.
Source: https://www.daily-sun.com/print/back-page/2015/05/18/503871#sthash.yKBKWar1.dpuf
