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US bill to allow free access-of LDC goods soon

MONJUR MAHMUD
A bill granting duty-free access for ail products from 15 least developed countries including Bangladesh to the US market is going to be tabled in the US Congress by February 2.
An influential Democrat senator and a Republican one have agreed to sponsor and four others to support die bill styled the Least Developed EconomiesEconomicDeveloprnent
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Act (LDEED). a leader of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers' and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) told ThedailyStar yesterday.
Hesaid BGMEA PresidentAnnisul Huq yesterday met Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and appraised him of thebill.
If it is passed, the LDCs may enjoy a 16 percent duty reduction on an average on their exports to the United States.
The BGMEA leader said, "Forus.it would mean an export growth several times more th an thepresentone."
Presently Bangladeshi apparel exporters to the US have to pay tariffs rangingfromsevcntO'lOpercent.
Of the total 49 LDCs, at present 33 enjoy duty-free access to the US and therestdonoc
Apart from Bangladesh, the countries in the LDEED group are zVghanistan. Bhutan. Cambodia, Kiribati. Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa. Solomon Islands. EastTimor, TUvalu. Vanuatu and Yemen. Of these countries, only Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Nepal have an apparel-manufacturingbase.
A BGMEA delegation visited the US on September 20 to 24 last year seeking support from the US administration, senators and congressmen for legislation providing duty-free access forallLDC products.
In their meetings with the' US policymakers, the BGMEA team explain edhow very tough it would be for Bangladesh and the other LDCs to survive without a duty-free access to the US market, competing with giants like China and India in the quota-free regime.
BGMEA sources said there is a huge cost involvement in the move for the legislation and there is no guarantee thebill will be passed.
"We've already met the representatives of East Timor and Cambodia, who have agreed to support the move. Laos is also positive in this regard," aBGMEAIeader said.
It was learnt that Sri Lanka and Indonesia have been included in the bill considering the recent tsunami devastation in those countries. But the Inclusion may slow down the process, which is a complicated one, BGMEAleaderssaid.