Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - A variety of suggestions was made in a symposium Bangladesh embassy in US has organized to mark the four decades of the country’s independence.
The symposium titled ‘Bangladesh — USA Economic Relations and Investment Prospects — Days Ahead’ was held at the embassy auditorium at Washington DC as part of its weeklong program on the occasion, said a release from the embassy received in the capital Dhaka on Friday.
Representatives from US companies and US government, diplomats from other countries and experts from Bangladeshi organizations and embassy officials were present at the program.
Bangladesh ambassador to USA Akramul Qader in his welcome address highlighted his government’s measures to improve the investment climate in Bangladesh.
He urged the US companies to take advantage of the existing investment-friendly policies in Bangladesh.
He also stressed the importance of duty-free market access of Bangladesh’s readymade apparel products to the US market.
Linda Droker, director, South Asia at the US Department of Commerce, in her keynote paper presented at the symposium the keynote paper focused on the challenges and opportunities for the US companies doing business with Bangladesh.
Shamarukh Mohiuddin, executive director, US Bangladesh Advisory Council, suggested that textile items produced by Bangladesh should have the generalized system of preference, commonly known as GSP.
Mathew Stumpf of Asia Society called for more regional trade integration measures among the South Asian countries.
Carolyn Brehm, vice-president of Global Government Relations, Procter and Gamble, said Bangladesh should do a revisit of its present tariff structure of consumer products.
Edward Gresser, director, of Washington-based trade research group Progressive Economy, Paul Mazzocchi, Emeritus Professor of chemistry and biochemistry, University of Maryland and Stanley Serfling, consumer safety officer, Food Safety Division, US FDA, also spoke at the program moderated by Laura Hudson, manager, International Government Affairs of Chevron Corporation.
BBN/SSR/AD-07Apr12-11:50 am (BST)
