s conference at the secretariat after holding a bilateral discussion with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Sunday. “Bangladesh is advancing. Its trade is addressing extreme poverty and improving living standards of people. You deserve much more international inclusion, but it requires political leadership to think in a sustainable way. You really got to have good future.” Kituyi came to Dhaka at the invitation of the commerce minister and was scheduled to visit Shinepukur Ceramics and Square Group industrial sites. Tofail sought UNCTAD’s help realise due rights of Bangladesh from big economies as per decisions of WTO’s Bali and Hong Kong ministerial summits. According to the decisions, he said, Bangladesh has the legitimate right to enjoy GSP (generalised system of preferences) facility for exporting readymade garment products to the US market. WTO allows duty-free and quota-free access of 97 percent export items of least developed countries to rich economies. But the US keeps RMG products out of the list of 97 percent items, Tofail mentioned. “Denied access, we are paying taxes to the US customs whenever Bangladeshi RMG products enter the market and the annual value of tax was $828 million on average for the last few years.” The minister said the US authorities opened GSP status for a few low-selling products, which are also suspended now on allegations of poor safety conditions and low wages for workers. “Conditions have changed. We are improving working environment, including awarding fair wages to workers, but the GSP status is not revived yet. UNCTAD should consider our demands,” he told Kituyi. Tofail said Bangladesh has successfully faced a slew of challenges, including child labour problems in the mid-1990s and rumours of losing RMG growth during the post-MFA (multi-fibre agreement) era in the middle of last decade. “After Rana Plaza collapse, we face another challenge [of ensuring work safety]. We’ll be able to overcome it too,” he said, adding that the government along with RMG entrepreneurs and the buyers is working to this end. “Bangladesh is a role model for the world now as it stands with dignity by winning two key positions in international bodies recently,” the minister said, referring to the posts at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union. In a relevant development, Parliamentary State Secretary to Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Hans-Joachim Fuchtel also met Tofail and offered a $10-million additional assistance to improve working conditions at RMG units. Germany among the EU nations joined the collective initiative for Bangladesh to improve safety conditions at RMG industry aiming to save lives of millions of workers after the much-talked-about Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013. Fuchtel said consumers of his country want optimum use of the cash assistance to Bangladesh for the cause. Germany has been the second single-largest export destination of Bangladeshi RMG goods with the annual export value of around $5 billion. At a separate press briefing, Tofail said the government welcomes assistance from its tested friend Germany and it needs a few days to get prepared for signing a formal agreement to receive the grant. Replying to a query over BNP’s criticism of winning IPU and CPA posts, Tofail said BNP does not know what global dignity is, even if it was in power twice. “BNP is launching propaganda that the wins came by begging votes door to door and spending huge money in exchange for vote. It’s a crying shame.” Tofail said BNP also question the January 5 polls, but the global community has recognised Bangladesh by voting candidates to international organisations. Senior secretary for commerce ministry Hedayetullah Al Mamun, among others, was present.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Bangladesh should sustain ties with foreign investors: UNCTAD:Daily Sun
s conference at the secretariat after holding a bilateral discussion with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Sunday. “Bangladesh is advancing. Its trade is addressing extreme poverty and improving living standards of people. You deserve much more international inclusion, but it requires political leadership to think in a sustainable way. You really got to have good future.” Kituyi came to Dhaka at the invitation of the commerce minister and was scheduled to visit Shinepukur Ceramics and Square Group industrial sites. Tofail sought UNCTAD’s help realise due rights of Bangladesh from big economies as per decisions of WTO’s Bali and Hong Kong ministerial summits. According to the decisions, he said, Bangladesh has the legitimate right to enjoy GSP (generalised system of preferences) facility for exporting readymade garment products to the US market. WTO allows duty-free and quota-free access of 97 percent export items of least developed countries to rich economies. But the US keeps RMG products out of the list of 97 percent items, Tofail mentioned. “Denied access, we are paying taxes to the US customs whenever Bangladeshi RMG products enter the market and the annual value of tax was $828 million on average for the last few years.” The minister said the US authorities opened GSP status for a few low-selling products, which are also suspended now on allegations of poor safety conditions and low wages for workers. “Conditions have changed. We are improving working environment, including awarding fair wages to workers, but the GSP status is not revived yet. UNCTAD should consider our demands,” he told Kituyi. Tofail said Bangladesh has successfully faced a slew of challenges, including child labour problems in the mid-1990s and rumours of losing RMG growth during the post-MFA (multi-fibre agreement) era in the middle of last decade. “After Rana Plaza collapse, we face another challenge [of ensuring work safety]. We’ll be able to overcome it too,” he said, adding that the government along with RMG entrepreneurs and the buyers is working to this end. “Bangladesh is a role model for the world now as it stands with dignity by winning two key positions in international bodies recently,” the minister said, referring to the posts at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union. In a relevant development, Parliamentary State Secretary to Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Hans-Joachim Fuchtel also met Tofail and offered a $10-million additional assistance to improve working conditions at RMG units. Germany among the EU nations joined the collective initiative for Bangladesh to improve safety conditions at RMG industry aiming to save lives of millions of workers after the much-talked-about Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013. Fuchtel said consumers of his country want optimum use of the cash assistance to Bangladesh for the cause. Germany has been the second single-largest export destination of Bangladeshi RMG goods with the annual export value of around $5 billion. At a separate press briefing, Tofail said the government welcomes assistance from its tested friend Germany and it needs a few days to get prepared for signing a formal agreement to receive the grant. Replying to a query over BNP’s criticism of winning IPU and CPA posts, Tofail said BNP does not know what global dignity is, even if it was in power twice. “BNP is launching propaganda that the wins came by begging votes door to door and spending huge money in exchange for vote. It’s a crying shame.” Tofail said BNP also question the January 5 polls, but the global community has recognised Bangladesh by voting candidates to international organisations. Senior secretary for commerce ministry Hedayetullah Al Mamun, among others, was present.
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