Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Saturday said, Bangladesh’s relations with the United States is not ‘comfortable’ at the moment.
“Dealings with the USA is not comfortable and the US-Bangladesh relations are experiencing stress,” said Muhith, adding, “They (US) raise objection to everything, but give nothing.”
Muhith said this while briefing reporters about his recent tours of Washington, New York and Mexico City. The briefing was held at his secretariat office.
He also said, relations between the two countries have always been ‘cold’ and the government is trying to improve it, at least in the economic front.
“The US ‘badly opposed’ the emergence of Bangladesh. Such ‘heinous opposition’ is rare in history. They raised questions about the new Bangladesh government after the election,” he added.
Referring to his talks in the US, the Finance Minister said that he conveyed Bangladesh’s position on the January 5 elections and termed US attitude towards the election results ‘wrong’.
“It’s not a very happy position. You’re questioning elections. So, I said, it’s a wrong attitude,” he continued.
Muhith explained further and said candidates in 153 seats elected unopposed because BNP was ‘foolish enough’ not to participate in it.
Replying to a question, Muhith said, the US government does not provide duty and quota free market access of local products, especially ready-made garments, to their market only for political reasons. “They (US) never deny it but they never endorsed it either. Bangladesh’s development or its needs were never US priorities and maybe that it was reason of their refusal to our duty-free privileges,” said Muhith.
They give free access to many countries, but not to Bangladesh, he said.
The Finance Minister further said, Bangladesh currently exported ready-made garments worth $3.4 billion to the USA and $200 million were paid as duties for one third of the products.
The Finance Minister said that he would prepare a report on volume of which products have been exported and how much duties Bangladesh paid so far. “We would like to have a statement for at least 10 years so that all of us know exactly the export figure.”
On Grameen Bank (GB) and Prof Muhammad Yunus issue, the Finance Minister said, “The US always makes hue and cry over the GB. Their (US) concern is about Dr Mohammad Yunus.
“Dr Yunus is a respected person and we have no desire to dishonor him. We had tried to reach a compromise with him. He went to the court after we had taken measures but lost. All steps were taken in accordance with law,” Muhith said.
He also said, Yunus, the first Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh, was “clinging to a bank for long time.
Muhith also said that the contribution of GB in the country’s microcredit sector decreased significantly. “GB had upto 90 per cent contribution in the country’s microcredit sector. However, it now hardly contributes 30 per cent,” he said.
The minister hinted that such was because of the government’s extensive and “effective” microcredit programme throughout the country.
“Our microcredit rules are much more relaxed. People do not have to pay returns every week.”
On the note of the election of directors of GB board, the minister said, it will be held soon. However, he did not elaborate.
Regarding to queries if the recommendations of the previous directors were taken for the election, Muhith said that there was no need since they were “handpicked by Muhammad Yunus.”
About the Padma Bridge, Muhith said, the work on the biggest-ever infrastructure of the country project is going on.
He also said the ‘more or less’ of the cancelled $1.2 billion loan of the World Bank has been restored to other development projects.
Responding to another question, Muhith said, the Bangladesh Bank is a ‘fairly independent’ institute. I would ask in which sector the ministry has interfered in?
