Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reiterated its call for the reinstatement of duty-free access for garment items made from imported American cotton under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). During a meeting with senior officials from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) at the BGMEA office in Dhaka, the BGMEA leaders, led by president SM Mannan Kochi, urged the US government to consider their request. Additionally, they advocated for increased per-unit prices for garment items sourced from Bangladesh and proposed implementing a unified code of conduct for local brands and suppliers in the US market.
The USTR officials emphasized the need for improvements in labour rights and simplification of trade union registration processes in Bangladesh’s garment sector. The USTR also provided 11 conditions for enhancing Bangladesh’s labour sector to attract more US investment, a topic previously discussed with the government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been pursuing duty-free access to the US market for garments made from American cotton, while the US government seeks further improvements in Bangladesh’s labour laws as a condition for increased investment. Bangladesh’s exports to the US, primarily garment items, constitute a significant portion of its total shipments.
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