The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A US Congressman sought support from his congressional colleagues to help Bangladesh recover economic losses caused by the recent cyclone.

US Congressman McDermott has urged his congressional colleagues to support the New Partnership for Development Act 2007 (NPDA) to help recover Bangladesh the economic losses caused by the Cyclone Sidr, according to a message received in Dhaka yesterday.

NPDA would eliminate tariff and quotas on all products originating in Bangladesh and in other LDCs, and provide capacity building support necessary to help the countries recover the competitiveness needed to flourish.

The Congressman made the appeal in the context of recent devastating cyclone Sidr that battered the southwestern part of the country.

"The United States responded by launching a humanitarian relief operation, but it would take sustainable efforts to help this vulnerable country recover," said McDermott, who introduced the NPDA in the US Congress.

NPDA would provide critical development assistance needed to help Bangladesh recover in part by eliminating tariffs on products that are exported from Bangladesh.

Citing the huge tariffs Bangladesh pays for its export sales to the USA, the Congressman said, "This unfairness is crippling a country that is already determined by the UN as a least developed country, and would continue to be an obstacle to economic recovery from Cyclone Sidr."

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington was working with the Congress, the diplomatic community, think tanks and private sector to gather more support for the Bill, the Bangladesh Embassy said in Washington.