Bangladesh is meeting all the demands of the USA to get back the generalised system of preference (GSP) facility, but everytime they come with a new demand, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said on Tuesday. “It seems they will not be pleased even if we try till the Judgement Day,” he said in reply to a question asked by ruling party lawmaker Abdul Mannan in the parliament.”Getting the GSP facility is a political issue. Many countries that are nowhere near us are getting this privilege. So, the prime minister has asked us not to say much about it,” Tofail further said.In reply to another question from Dilara Begum, he said Bangladesh has trade deficit with 87 countries, which stands over $28056 million. The highest trade deficit is with China – $7,424 million.Replying to a starred question from Awami League MP Mamtaj Begum (Manikganj-2), the minister said the government has formed a ‘Commodity Price Review and Forecast Cell’ to monitor the prices of essential commodities, adds UNB.The minister said this cell monitors the domestic and international commodities every day, collects information about the supply, import and price situation of essential items from Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Tariff Commission, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and Department of Agricultural Marketing to give necessary advice and directives to the authorities concerned.”This plays an effective role in keeping the essentials’ prices stable,” the minister told the House.Tofail said his ministry at its regular meeting also continuously reviews the international market situation, demand, local production, overall stock and import situation of the essential commodities and gives necessary directives.
