Local evil forces were behind GSP cancellation, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it was not any superpower other than local evil forces which were behind the cancellation of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) facilities for Bangladeshi products in the US, reports UNB.
“It was very regretful that one person who was the prime minister and opposition leader sent a letter to the American government seeking cancellation of the GSP facility for Bangladesh,” she said while responding to a supplementary question from independent MP Haji Selim during her question-answer session in parliament.
She added that the political leader also wrote an article in an unknown newspaper in Washington destroyed the image of Bangladesh.
Without mentioning anyone’s name, the prime minister also said that one person became very much angry after loosing his post as the managing director of a bank after losing a legal battle. “That person got engaged in spreading negative propaganda against the government,” she added.
Hasina also alleged that the anti-liberation forces and collaborators of Pakistani occupational forces Jamaat-e-Islami appointed lobbyists to conduct the negative propaganda against Bangladesh. “BNP and Jamaat appointed lobbyists to destroy the image of Bangladesh and cancel the GSP facility for Bangladesh,” she said.
The prime minister said these people never think about the country, its people, workers and labourers. “Their partisan and personal interest always comes on the surface and these people are conducting such propaganda,” she added.
But, she said, under the GSP facility Bangladesh could not export RMG and apparel items, which is 90 percent of the total export to the USA.
For exporting RMG and apparel items Bangladesh have to pay US$ 850 million per year as duty. “The items which were under the GSP facility were very much insignificant, we could avail of US$ 25 million advantage only, we didn’t avail of any facility more than this.” But she admitted that the cancellation of the GSP is harmful to Bangladesh’s image.
She said some collaborators had done some harm to Bangladesh, but that will not happen again as the people of the country are now very much aware. “The trial of the conspirators must be held on Bangladesh’s soil,” she said.
Voicing her hope to retain the GSP, Hasina reminded the USA that they also have around US$ 2 billion investment here in Bangladesh.
“The USA has to remember that before Awami League tenure in 1996 their investment in Bangladesh was only US$ 25 million, during our tenure their investment has gone to around 1.2 billion…it happened due to Awami League government, we’ve given that scope, now it’s around US$ 2 billion. They’ve their investment here, they have to remember that,” she said.
She also said the USA had wanted to play with the people of Bangladesh, sending the Seventh Fleet during the Liberation War to help the Pakistani occupational forces. “But we Bangladesh attained its liberation…they couldn’t stop Bangladesh’s victory.”

Local evil forces were behind GSP cancellation, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it was not any superpower other than local evil forces which were behind the cancellation of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) facilities for Bangladeshi products in the US, reports UNB. It was very regretful that one person who was the prime minister and opposition leader sent a letter to the American government seeking cancellation of the GSP facility for Bangladesh, she said while responding to a supplementary question from independent MP Haji Selim during her question-answer session in parliament. She added that the political leader also wrote an article in an unknown newspaper in Washington destroyed the image of Bangladesh. Without mentioning anyones name, the prime minister also said that one person became very much angry after loosing his post as the managing director of a bank after losing a legal battle. That person got engaged in spreading negative propaganda against the government, she added. Hasina also alleged that the anti-liberation forces and collaborators of Pakistani occupational forces Jamaat-e-Islami appointed lobbyists to conduct the negative propaganda against Bangladesh. BNP and Jamaat appointed lobbyists to destroy the image of Bangladesh and cancel the GSP facility for Bangladesh, she said. The prime minister said these people never think about the country, its people, workers and labourers. Their partisan and personal interest always comes on the surface and these people are conducting such propaganda, she added. But, she said, under the GSP facility Bangladesh could not export RMG and apparel items, which is 90 percent of the total export to the USA. For exporting RMG and apparel items Bangladesh have to pay US$ 850 million per year as duty. The items which were under the GSP facility were very much insignificant, we could avail of US$ 25 million advantage only, we didnt avail of any facility more than this. But she admitted that the cancellation of the GSP is harmful to Bangladeshs image. She said some collaborators had done some harm to Bangladesh, but that will not happen again as the people of the country are now very much aware. The trial of the conspirators must be held on Bangladeshs soil, she said. Voicing her hope to retain the GSP, Hasina reminded the USA that they also have around US$ 2 billion investment here in Bangladesh. The USA has to remember that before Awami League tenure in 1996 their investment in Bangladesh was only US$ 25 million, during our tenure their investment has gone to around 1.2 billionit happened due to Awami League government, weve given that scope, now its around US$ 2 billion. Theyve their investment here, they have to remember that, she said. She also said the USA had wanted to play with the people of Bangladesh, sending the Seventh Fleet during the Liberation War to help the Pakistani occupational forces. But we Bangladesh attained its liberationthey couldnt stop Bangladeshs victory.