Bangladeshi goods will reach highest global standards in the near future thanks to the increased efforts of the local manufacturers to improve quality, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Robert Miller said.

Bangladesh's ranking in the ease of doing business index, transparency in business practices and workers' rights will also improve, he said on Saturday.

The US envoy said at the opening of the permanent office of the American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AmCham) in the capital.

AmCham is the first and only

single country chamber in Bangladesh that has moved to its own office premises. The new 3,100 square feet office is situated at Pearl Trade Centre on Pragati Sarani.

"Incredible progress has been made in workplace safety in Bangladesh. All workers have the rights to dignity and justice in the workplace, a fair wage, grievance system, safety protection and right to organise themselves," Miller said.

The ambassador said he believes that 'Made in Bangladesh' products will soon reach 'global gold standards'. Bangladesh is rising rapidly to achieve the middle-income status, he said.

Miller said the United States and

Bangladesh are indispensable partners in this extraordinary progress. The US will continue to be its strongest support in Bangladesh's remarkable journey, he added.

The bilateral trade hit $8.2 billion last year, which has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and around 95 percent of the workers the US firms have in Bangladesh are local, Miller said.

Former AmCham presidents Forrest E. Cookson, Aftab UI Islam, Syed Ershad Ahmed and Mahbubur Rahman, president of International Chamber of Commerce - Bangladesh also spoke. Former finance minister M Syeduzzaman was present.