US Ambassador Dan W Mozena said the next review of GSP would be held in May and it would be based on information that would be submitted by April 15.
He said: “A lot of things to be done in between February 5 and April 15. Although, Bangladesh has done a lot, still it needs to do more to regain the facilities.”
The US envoy made the statement while talking to journalists after holding a meeting with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Wednesday.
Mozena said he was sure Bangladesh would raise market access issue while US side would raise fire safety, factory structural soundness and workers’ right to freely associate and organise.
US President Barack Obama had suspended GSP facility for Bangladesh in June last year on the ground of poor labour condition. Later, Washington imposed a 16-step policy to get it back.
Regarding the upcoming meeting under the Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (Ticfa), Mozena said: “The purpose of Ticfa is to create a place where each side can place its issues and can resolve those.”
The first meeting with the United States authority under the Ticfa is likely to be held on April 6.
Replying to queries of journalists, the US envoy said he clarified the US position on January election during the meeting with the commerce minister.
He said: “I clarify that the statement that the United States issued on January 6, immediately after the election, was a clear statement of America’s policy and it has not changed.”
On January 6, the US authority issued a statement over the January 5 poll. In the statement, Washington expressed its disappointment over the election as over half of the lawmakers were elected unopposed and the voters did not have the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.
Regarding the dialogue between the two major parties, he said: “We talked about the need of the dialogue and encourage arranging it quickly.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
