U.S. To Promote Bangladesh Exports

By Agence France-Presse The United States will provide $13 million over five years to boost Bangladesh's exports and make its private sector more competitive, a statement by the U.S. embassy said Sept. 30. The Bangladeshi government will contribute another $1.3 million to the "Strategic Objective Agreement," which will focus on ways to strengthen sectors with a high potential for exports, the statement said. It said the funding will include assistance to Bangladesh's nascent information technology and communications sector and research to identify constraints hindering private sector growth. The embassy said the agreement aims to create jobs in Bangladesh, where more than 44% of the 130 million people live below the poverty line. The United States is the major market for Bangladesh's readymade garments, which account for three-quarters of the country's exports. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2003