DHAKA: Bangladesh renewed its call for duty-free, quota-free(DFQF) market access to the USA along with thirteen other least developed countries (LDCs) which are left out from US SFQF scheme.
Bangladesh ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin made the call as he met Congressman Ted S Yoho in Washington DC on Monday, a press release said.
Currently, only 34 LDCs, under a group called ‘AGOA’, get DFQF access to US market. However, the European Union provides such benefit to all the LDCs.
The ambassador called upon the US to ensure equal opportunity to all the LDCs. Referring to Bangladesh’s achievements in different sectors, Ziauddin said the country has made a remarkable progress in women empowerment.
He said more than four million garment workers of Bangladesh are women who are contributing to society in alleviating poverty and reducing child labor.
The ambassador said Bangladesh would be able to progress further in women empowerment and elimination of terrorism by its own resources if it can increase its volume of trade in the US market with the help of DFQF benefit.
He also highlighted the ‘zero tolerance’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina against all forms of extremism and terrorism.
He mentioned about the ongoing cooperation including intelligence sharing between Bangladesh and the USA and other friendly countries in countering terrorism.
Ted Yoho said his priority would be trade, economic growth and empowerment of the people in the Asia Pacific region, and therefore, he would like to work with small countries like Bangladesh.
Toufique Hasan, minister (political) of the embassy and Hunter M Strupp, Asia policy analyst at the foreign affairs committee of the US Congress, also joined the meeting.
