Bangladesh has opposed the move by Indonesia to impose safeguard duty on apparel imports from Bangladesh.

According to reports, the apex garment makers’ body – the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), during a recent hearing conducted by the Indonesian Safeguards Committee (KPPI), presented their observations and arguments on the matter.

The KPPI, following request from the Indonesia Textile Association against the import of apparels, reportedly initiated the investigation into the viability of a safeguard duty on garment shipments from Bangladesh.

However, the hearing where BTTC and BGMEA presented their views, was held on 20 November, which was more than one-and-a-half months after the initiation of the investigation.

The BTTC, in its submission on behalf of the Government reportedly cited provisions in the GATT (General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade) and the WTO Agreement on Safeguard to try and explain imposing such measures does not fulfil the conditions set in the related treaties.

Both the BTTC and the BGMEA in their observations reportedly highlighted that levying safeguard duty would hurt the shipment of garments, which is Bangladesh’s main export commodity.

In the 2018-19 fiscal, Bangladesh has earned around US $ 30 million from apparel exports to Indonesia.