Labour rights violations: Address them to get GSP facility again

Dhaka and Washington have committed to work together to improve Bangladesh’s labour rights conditions which have been an issue of concern for the US.

The commitment came at the first-ever US-Bangladesh Labour Working Group meeting held virtually on Thursday.

Washington maintains that GSP suspension could be lifted and Bangladesh could be eligible to receive funding from the US International Development Finance Corporation if the concerns about labour rights violations were addressed.

The US suspended Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facility to Bangladesh in 2013 following the Rana Plaza collapse. It has not been withdrawn despite repeated calls from Bangladesh. Under the GSP facility, Bangladesh enjoyed trade benefits.

Jose W Fernandez, US under-secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, and Salman F Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser for private industry and investment, led the respective delegations.

Washington also wants improvement of the workplace safety and full implementation of the ILO roadmap, whose priority areas are labour law reform, trade union registration, labour inspection and enforcement, and addressing acts of anti-union discrimination or unfair labour practices and violence against workers.

In the meeting, Fernandez committed to work with Bangladesh to further improve the labour sector and provide necessary assistance, said a foreign ministry statement.

According to a statement of the US State Department, the two sides discussed collaboration and assistance to Bangladesh as it takes further steps to implement the ILO roadmap and adhere to internationally recognised labour rights.

“The objective of the meeting was to support Bangladeshi implementation of commitments to improve labour rights protections and to further economic cooperation between the United States and Bangladesh.”

At the meeting, Salman F Rahman detailed the steps taken by Bangladesh in the labour sector and stressed that Bangladesh puts much importance on the labour-related recommendations forwarded by the US, European Union and ILO, said the foreign ministry statement.

He also highlighted Bangladesh’s ratification of most UN conventions related to labour rights, including labour laws and acts on Export Processing Zones.

Fernandez appreciated Bangladesh’s steps to improve labour rights and called upon Bangladesh to fully implement the ILO recommendations.

The US delegation raised the issues of amending labour law, rules and registration of trade unions after Bangladesh Labour Secretary Ehsan-E-Elahi apprised them of the steps taken by the government.

Bangladesh delegation urged the US side to actively consider providing duty-free facility to Bangladeshi products to its market. It expected the US supports Bangladesh’s transition from LDC status.

Bangladesh side also called upon the US side to consider funding under the International Finance Development Corporation, the statement added.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said Bangladesh is aware of the needs to improve labour rights and that the government continues to make necessary reforms to that end.

He reiterated the determination to strengthen the US-Bangladesh economic partnership.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the US, Imran Ahmad, and US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, also attended the meeting.