AmeriBangla on Thursday said that it wanted to utilize the political influence of United States (US) cotton farmers and processors to influence US senators and representatives, particularly from agriculturally dominant states, to help in tariff negotiations.
With the growing likelihood that government-to-government negotiations will fail to yield favourable terms for Bangladeshi Readymade Garments (RMG) exporters, AmeriBangla Corporation, an organization for Bangladeshis living in the US, held a discussion session with major RMG exporters reliant on sales in the US, representatives of organizations significantly involved in US-Bangladesh trade, and members of the press.
Discussant said that the main aim of this initiative was to utilize the political and economic influence of US cotton producers to advocate for trade policies that safeguard the mutual interests of both nations.
Under this proposed framework, Bangladeshi garment exporters will commit to purchasing cotton directly from US cotton farmers.
In return, US cotton producers will lobby US lawmakers (senators and representatives) to implement favourable policies such as tariff cut, rebates, or targeted exemptions that will lower barriers to Bangladeshi garment exports.
They also hoped that through the active involvement of this influential agricultural sector representative in the US Congress, this initiative establishes an effective back channel that will help promote fair and sustainable trade.
The discussants also said that this innovative partnership model is a win-win for both countries.
On one hand, it protects Bangladesh’s largest export sector, while on the other, it creates opportunities for US cotton producers to expand international markets.
As a facilitator of cross-border partnerships, AmeriBangla Corporation is committed to building a strong and competitive US-Bangladesh trade relationship by building transparent, long-lasting, and high-impact partnerships, which is especially important in the current global context.
The event was moderated by Aswar Rahman, CEO of AmeriBangla.
