Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – The commerce ministry of Bangladesh calls a meeting with exporters on Tuesday to discuss the impacts of an Indian move to support a European Union decision meant for allowing duty-free access to 75 Pakistani products.
“Our position remained the same as it was earlier. We have reservation for eight garment products,” Commerce Secretary Ghulam Hussain was quoted by The Daily Star, a local newspaper, as saying.
But Pakistan failed to get the waiver this time as Brazil, Indonesia and Peru opposed the move at the WTO meeting in Geneva, said another official of the ministry, according to the newspaper report.
According to the official, Bangladesh had informed the WTO meeting that it will have no objection if the EU gives the waiver to Pakistan, excluding eight garment products.
Bangladesh will face tough competition mainly for eight garment items if Pakistan gets the duty-free facility to the EU, the largest export destination for Bangladeshi apparel.
It raised the concern at the WTO’s meeting of Committee on Trading Goods (CTG) in Geneva on November 7.
India had previously opposed the EU move for long, but recently it has withdrawn its objection at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Pakistan’s plea for getting a duty-waiver for its 75 products became stronger last year when the country faced devastating floods.
BBN/SSR/AD-15Nov11-10:57 am (BST)
