Founded in 2011, the US-Bangladesh Advisory Council is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. For over a decade, USBAC has been working to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Bangladesh and promote economic development in Bangladesh through public policy.
Mission of US-Bangladesh Advisory Council:
- Enhance the social, economic and political ties between the United States and Bangladesh and strengthen collaboration between the people of the two countries;
- Work with the U.S. and Bangladesh governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to enact public policy to promote social and economic development in Bangladesh;
- Provide critical insights, analyses, and research to policy makers in the United States and Bangladesh to enable them to make informed decisions;
- Facilitate the participation of Bangladeshi residents in the United States in U.S. social, political and economic institutions;
- Bring the voice of the US-based Bangladeshi diaspora to bear on policy issues affecting Bangladesh.
US-Bangladesh Advisory Council Policy Priorities:
Help Bangladeshis Earn Their Livelihoods from Trade
Trade with the United States is an important factor in Bangladesh’s economic development. Each year, Bangladesh earns about $3.4 billion dollars from exports to the United States. The export industry supports millions of jobs in Bangladesh, many of which go to women. Unfortunately, U.S. trade policy towards Bangladesh has remained quite restrictive. Each year, Bangladesh faces U.S. tariffs in the amount of $590 million on just $3.4 billion worth of exports. If these tariffs were removed, millions more people, especially women, would find employment in Bangladesh.
Address the Impact of Climate Change in Bangladesh
Bangladeshis are tackling climate change at the front lines. Scientists predict that by 2020, Bangladesh will have tens of millions of “climate refugees” – people who will be displaced from their homes due to the rising sea level. Carbon emissions by the U.S., China, and other industrialized countries are worsening the problem of climate change. These countries need to limit carbon emissions while at the same time assist countries like Bangladesh in mitigating the effects of climate change in real time. This includes funding adaptation projects (in the form of grants, not loans) which can help Bangladeshis cope with flooding , e,g. funding for agricultural innovations that will help coastal people grow food in salty water.
Help Bangladesh Benefit from U.S. Foreign Assistance
While Bangladesh has reduced its dependency on foreign aid, the country still needs aid in critical areas including for economic development and health. Unfortunately the economic crisis means that funds for foreign assistance in the U.S. budget will be scarce. Remittances from migrant workers, which accounts for about 11 percent of Bangladesh’s GDP, are also projected to drop sharply due to ripple effects of the crisis. We must ensure that as the U.S. takes appropriate measures to address the financial crisis, important economic development projects in Bangladesh are not ended abruptly. The Bangladeshi government must also ensure that foreign assistance funds are used wisely and transparently.
Promote Decent Work Opportunities for Bangladeshis in a Globalized World
Many Bangladeshis, in Bangladesh and overseas are working without rights, voice, recognition and equality.“Decent work,” i.e. work that promotes the freedom, equity, security and human dignity of workers is central to efforts to reduce poverty, and is a means for achieving equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. Bangladesh can promote decent work by undertaking several important reforms in its domestic and international policies. The United States can also safeguard the rights of working Bangladeshis in the U.S., in Bangladesh, and in other countries where migrant workers toil hard to support themselves and their families. U.S. trade and aid policies can play a significant role in promoting decent work opportunities for Bangladeshis. Both countries must also work with the International Labor Organization and other multilateral organizations to achieve this goal.
Promote Rule of Law in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has seen severe deficiencies in the rule of law ever since its birth. Breakdown in the rule of law has come in the way of economic development, social progress and true democracy. We must hold the new government in Bangladesh to its promise of establishing rule of law and setting up a fair and effective judiciary. There also are opportunities for U.S. policies to promote rule of law in Bangladesh. The U.S. can, when deemed necessary, exercise leverage through economic, trade and foreign policy, urging Bangladesh to exercise good governance, crack down on human rights abuses, promote civil liberties, economic rights (especially in the case of minorities) and maintain law and order.
Shamarukh Mohiuddin, Executive Director
Shabbir Ahmed Chowdhury, Founder and Chairman