Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – A team from the United States Department of Labour arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday to assess the progress the country has made to retain the GSP facility on the US market.
The two-member delegation headed by USDOL deputy under secretary Erick Biell will review the progress including labour rights, health and safety issues in RMG and shrimp sectors, officials said.
The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the largest federation of unions in the United States, earlier requested the United States Trade Representatives to suspend GSP facilities for Bangladeshi products on the US market citing that the country (Bangladesh) had failed to maintain labour rights.
On January 8, the USTR issued a notice requesting comments from the stakeholders on the possible withdrawal, suspension, or limitation of GSP benefits for Bangladeshi products, and the government and other stakeholders submitted their statements last month arguing for continued GSP facilities.
Bangladesh will appear in the hearing of the USTR in the United States on March 28.
Masudul Manan, assistant chief of textile cell of commerce ministry, told New Age, a local newspaper, that the USDOL team would attend several programs in Dhaka in February 24-26.
The team will hold talks with the stakeholders concerned including workers, owners, labour leaders and government officials of relevant ministries like the commerce and the labour on the labour rights.
BGMEA vice-president Faruque Hassan said that the US team would hold talks with the leaders of the association and they might visit some apparel units.
Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq said that the team would go to Khulna on February 27 and stay there till February 28.
They will hold a meeting with the divisional inspector of factory and will visit shrimp processing plants to assess the progress of working condition and workers’ rights.
The USDOL team will hold a meeting with the Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association on February 28 and is scheduled to leave the country on March 1.
BBN/SSR/AD-24Feb13-10:01 am (BST)
