It has become a trait with us. We end up.doing something basic only when pressured by a Pandora's Box opening right before our face, which we could and should have done at the first opportunity in an unembarrassed frame of mind. A remedial measure invariably comes as a riotous afterthought. hardly ever as a visualised antidote to an evil that might well have been foreseen to occur downstream.

All of this comes to mind when reacting to the BGMEAs belated initiative to keep an online vigil on export quota utilisation which is alleged to /have been defrauded in respect of a specific con-.'signment to the USA. While the US authorities say that some 14,000 dozen coats and non-suit wear were overshipped to them — beyond the approved quota, that is — the BGMEA points out there is no record with it to show that the quota had been exhausted.

It is alright that the BGMEA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Amcham to implement the automation project which operatively involves the US port authorities and the US importers but this effort should in no way detract us from the cardinal need for a thorough investigation into the matter. All the dirty linens must be washed for the sake of transparency. It is not only a question of our export-earning being undercut presumably by some ghosts but also something that can tell upon our goodwill rating which needs all the blandishments we are capable of giving it after it has been recovered from the GSP certification of origin mess.

Whether it is a human error on the documentation side or a deliberate act of fraudulence by a third party or a country using the name of Bangladesh, the truth simply cannot come out by merely airing suspicions or making conjectures. A probe is needed to unravel it. We urge all concerned to cooperate in this most needed transparency exercise. . _