Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- A four-member US Congressional delegation, led by Jack Kingston, arrives in the capital Dhaka on Saturday (January 26) on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to discuss bilateral issues, including Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facility.
The congressmen are also expected to visit a few garments factories during their stay in Dhaka, according to a press statement received in Dhaka Thursday night from Bangladesh Embassy in the Washington D.C.
Other members of the delegation are: Representative Ed Whitfield (Republican -Kentucky), Representative Scott Tipton (Republican- Colorado) and Representative Adam Schiff (Republican -California).
During the visit, the delegation members are expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, the statement said, adding that they (the delegation) would attend events to be organized by the US Embassy in Dhaka.
In view of the planned visit by the US Congressmen to Dhaka, Akramul Qader, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA, held separate meetings with the delegation members and handed over a paper on the importance of US-GSP in Bangladesh’s flourishing trade with the USA and the ‘harsh impact’ of any restrictions to be imposed on Bangladesh in availing the GSP benefit.
Ambassador Qader made this note in the wake a letter signed by twelve US Congressmen to the USTR (United States Trade Representatives) seeking Bangladesh’s removal from the list of GSP beneficiary nations.
“The US Congressmen expressed hope that their experiences in Bangladesh, particularly visit to Bangladeshi garment factories, would help them provide informed views to the US administration on trade matters,” it said.
BBN/AD/SI-26Jan13-10:22 am (BST)
