Welcome to H.E Earl R. Miller, New U.S. Ambassador
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19 Dec 2018
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12:30 pm
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The Westin Hotel, Dhaka
AmCham hosted its December Luncheon to welcome the new U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Earl R. Miller.
Executive Committee members of AmCham were also present and extended their felicitation to Ambassador Miller in the occasion. AmCham president Md. Nurul Islam presided over the meeting and delivered welcome remarks addressing the audience. The president in his opening speech introduced the audience with the new Ambassador and briefly described his vast experience serving the US government in various capacities. In his remarks, the President highlighted the many contributions US embassy made to the chamber in Bangladesh, especially in improving bi-lateral trade and investment relation between the two economies and hoped that the US-Bangladesh trade would be accelerated during the tenure of Ambassador Miller.
Amb. Miller, in his remarks, highly appreciated the role of AmCham in improving the economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the USA. Increasing the US trade in Bangladesh would be the top priority of future bilateral relations, said newly appointed US Ambassador Earl R Miller. Bangladesh is a significant market for America as the export of the US to the country of 170 million people has been increasing rapidly, he said. The ambassador said US companies and businesses were doing well in Bangladesh and could do much better, “So, I look to work with the people of Bangladesh and the government of Bangladesh to bring in more trade delegations, more trade missions and more CEOs. In the next three years, I hope to see more American companies engaging in Bangladesh and more Bangladeshi companies engaging in the US.”
The two-way trade is projected to be higher in the future. US exports to Bangladesh rose 100 percent year-onyear in 2017, Miller said. He said he would work to remove unnecessary or arbitrary regulations, cumbersome customs procedures and corruption that affect the economic growth of Bangladesh. “These barriers affect not only US economic interest in the country but also hinder the nation’s economic growth itself”, he said. Miller said Bangladesh was making great efforts in strengthening workplace safety with the help of the Accord and the Alliance, but it needs to do more, especially in the area of labour rights. Promoting labour rights and workers’ safety is not only the right things to do as it is also the foundation for freedom of association, the envoy said, adding that corporate social responsibility had a bright future in Bangladesh. The Trump administration has given a new focus on the Indo-Pacific region to ensure fair and secure trade, he maintained. To this end, the US has been working with all the countries in this region to create a congenial atmosphere for trade in this region.
A good number of AmCham members, foreign dignitaries, businessmen from different sectors and other distinguished guests were among others who attended the event.
