Following the US Senate’s passing of legislation to renew the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), Bangladeshi sleeping bags have got zero-duty access to the US market till 31st July 2013.Until mid-September this year, the US Congress had not authorized the renewal of the GSP programme which expired in December last year. The GSP, introduced in 1976 by the Trade Act of 1974, provides preferential zero-duty entry for nearly 4,800 items from 129 beneficiary nations and regions, including Bangladesh.
However, the benefit to Bangladesh from the GSP is limited as garment items do not form a part of the preferential goods. But, sleeping bags were included in the GSP list as they were not categorized as textile items.
