DHAKA: US ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena commented that after the bargaining of twelve years the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) between Bangladesh and the US is now a reality.

The US envoy said he had worked along with Assistant US Trade Representative for South Asia Michael J Delaney to sign the agreement. They both had campaigned advocacy to the US administration, he added.

According to Mozena, after twelve years of negotiations, the agreement is now a reality.

The US diplomat was addressing a seminar organized by Dhaka Chambers of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) on Sunday on the occasion of the first TICFA meeting in Bangladesh.

Among others, Michael J Delaney and DCCI former president Aftabul Islam spoke at the seminar chaired by DCCI president Mohammad Shahjahan.

On November 25 in 2013, Bangladesh signed TICFA treaty with the USA. A forum, that had been formed in this regard, will arrange a meeting soon.

According to the sources, in the first meeting, Bangladesh will demand duty-free RMG access to the USA and the return of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facility.

BDST: 1530 HRS, APR 27, 2014