Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President M Siddiqur Rahman will preside over the discussion to be held at a hotel in the capital, said a BGMEA official. The delegation members are Linda McAvan, Arne Lietz, Nobert Neuser and Agnes Jongerius, said an official at the foreign ministry. They are also likely to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before wrapping up their visit on Wednesday.Trade, political and security issues are likely to be discussed during their talks with top government officials. The European Union (EU) imports from Bangladesh are dominated by textile and clothing, accounting for 93.8 per cent of the EU’s total imports from Bangladesh in 2016.European Union has threatened suspension of trade privileges for Bangladesh if the labour standards are not improved further. The suspension would mean that Bangladesh would have to pay 12.5 per cent duty for exports to the 28-nation bloc. At present, the country enjoys zero-duty access under the EU’s Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme.Last fiscal year, Bangladesh’s exports to the EU stood at $18.68 billion, which is 54.57 percent of the total exports in the 12-month period, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau.
