"We will formally invite Prof Yunus to take part in the hearing for his support to attain Bangladesh's long-cherished demand for a duty and quota-free access to the US market," Fazlul Hoque, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), told a press briefing in Dhaka yesterday.

An initiative is in the offing to table a bill in the US Senate on such a market access for the LDCs.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is collecting public opinion on the idea of liberalising trade regime as well as ensuring market access to the poorer countries.

The USTR also seeks submissions from Bangladesh side on how much the bill would impact the trade between Bangladesh and the USA before May 16 and the Ministry of Commerce had already submitted a report in this regard to the USTR.

The BKMEA will also submit an assessment report soon to the USTR with regard to such an impact on American-Bangla trade following a possible passage of any bill in the US Senate allowing duty-free US market access.

On receipt of this submission, the USTR would go for the said public hearing in order to approve the bill.

The BKMEA also wants government, private and other trade organisations to work together for supporting the agenda.

The BKMEA chief, who returned home after his recent visit to Washington as the head of a Bangladesh exporters' delegation, said at the press briefing that the US authority also expects Mohammad Yunus to join the May 16 hearing.

Apart from touring of the US, the Bangladesh team attended a meeting at the Multi Fiber Forum held at Toronto, Canada.

Meanwhile, the team enquired about the status of the Anti-Sweatshop Bill that was recently tabled in the US Senate. This bill was primarily considered as a move detrimental to Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) and knitwear exports.

However US Senator Byron Dorgan, whom the Dhaka team met, gave an explanation that the bill has not been brought against any country, but against the industries grossly violating the labour compliance issues.

Referring to the US senator's content, Fazlul Hoque told the journalists, "If the bill is passed, the US will be empowered to fine the companies importing products from the factories identified as gross violators of labour rights in their countries."

The team also met with Chelsea Cole Thomas, international trade analyst, Senate Finance Committee, Timothy M Reif, staff director, Trade Sub Committee. The proposed bill on duty and quota free market access was high on the agenda of these meetings.

As many as 14 least developed countries, including Bangladesh, have long been lobbying for a duty-free access of their products to the US market, the press meet was also told.