Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told Jatiya Sangsad that efforts are being made to secure quota and tariff free entry of Bangladeshi goods to the US markets.

Replying to a question from Haji Mohammad Selim (Dhaka-8) and subsequent supplimenteries from ABM Abul Kashem Master and Helal Uddin Talukder, the Prime Minister informed the House that following her government’s timely and appropriate action. Bangladesh had already got zero tariff and quota free export facilities to European countries.

She told the House that during US President Bill Clinton’s visit to Bangladesh and her subsequent visit to the USA. fruitful discussions were held over export of Bangladeshi commodities to the USA markets without quota and tariff restrictions.

She informed the house that during the last D-8 summit, she held bilateral talks with the Egyptian President Hosne Mubarak on various issues including further

expansion of trade and commercial relations between the two countries. She said that following her talks with Mubarak. Bangladesh received additional facilities for exporting its tea and jute to Egypt with tariff concessions.

The Prime Minister told the House that due to corruption and other mismanagements of the previous government, the European countries stopped GSP facilities and import of Bangladeshi Shrimps which created an adverse effects on the country’s export trade. But after formation of her government, various concrete steps were taken and fruitful discussions were held with European Commission and subsequently the restrictions were withdrawn, she said.

While speaking about the outcome of the D-8 summit, the Prime Minister told the Sangsad that the Cairo Declaration envisaged rational distribution of facilities of globalisation among the developed and developing countries. The declaration also suggested ways and means to face the challenges of the new' millennium.