It seems Ticfa will not be the forum for discussing duty-free market access for Bangladesh exports to the US.
The Assistant US Trade Representative for South Michael Delaney, who led the US side in the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (Ticfa) talks in Dhaka, said the decision would be based on the WTO decision.
“….more specifically under the Doha Round, which was yet to be completed,” he said in reply to a question at a joint press conference.
But he did not provide further details.
There had been a general perception that the Ticfa bilateral forum would take up the issue of duty-free market access.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed who led the Bangladesh side, however, said they had demanded the market access to the US market under the ‘Bali Package’.
Dhaka and Washington signed the Ticfa on Nov 25 last year following more than a decade of talks. It became effective on Jan 13 this year.
The US Trade Representative said it was a forum where they would identify obstacles towards boosting two-way trade and investment.
