Kazi Zahidul Hasan :The US administration has once again indicated that “much more work” is still needed to improve Bangladesh’s labour standard before the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) can be reinstated.It came up with the observation while concluding an interagency review on “16-tier US Action Plan,” by the US Trade Representatives (USTR).”Bangladesh has made progress over the last year to address fire and building safety issues in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. Further progress is needed, including addressing serious worker rights issues, for reinstatement of its GSP facility,” it said. Acknowledging the government’s steps taken to implement the Action Plan,” the US agency highlights a number of lingering concerns about basic workers’ right in Bangladesh, including of harassment and violence against labour activists seeking to establish trade unions. “The US Government is concerned about continuing reports of harassment and violence against union activists seeking to establish new unions or to exercise their legal rights,” said the review. It also said that there has also been little progress in advancing the labor law reforms called for in the Action Plan, including changes to ensure that workers are afforded the same rights and protections in Export Processing Zones as in the rest of the country”.President Obama suspended GSP benefit to Bangladesh in June 2013 Bangladesh, citing ‘serious shortcomings’ in safety and labour standard following collapse of Rana Plaza. Later, the US launched an interagency review, led by the USTR.”We urge the government to complete remaining factory inspections as soon as possible to prevent recurrence of workplace tragedies such as those that occurred in 2012 and 2013,” US Trade Representative Michael Froman said in a statement on Friday. The USTR recently concluded the review of progress by the government of Bangladesh in implementing the GSP Action Plan, which provides a basis for the potential reinstatement of GSP trade benefits. “There is more work to do, building on the collaboration between the government of Bangladesh, private sector stakeholders, and the International Labour Organization, to address the concerns about factory safety in the apparel sector,” he said at the conclusion of the review.The USTR also urge the government to accelerate its efforts to ensure workers’ rights and to take measures to address continuing reports of harassment of and violence against labour activists who are attempting to exercise their rights.Under the general supervision of the Bangladesh government, over 2,000 initial safety inspections of factories have been completed in the RMG sector over the last year, most by teams organized by private sector initiatives led by North American and European brands and retailers.These inspections resulted in the closure of at least 31 factories, the partial closure of 17 additional factories, and the identification of needed remedial measures in hundreds more.”We urge the government to complete remaining factory inspections as soon as possible to prevent recurrence of workplace tragedies such as those that occurred in 2012 and 2013,” Froman said. The statement also said that the government is responsible for the inspection of several hundred more factories and has hired additional inspection teams to carry out and sustain the inspection effort. The review also found that further progress is needed in several key areas under the Action Plan. In particular, urgent progress is needed to fairly and systematically address reports of unfair labour practices and to advance and implement needed legal reforms, it said.Terming the latest review as ‘politically motivated,’ M Shahidullah Azim, Vice-President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said, the US authorities revoked GSP facility to Bangladesh on ‘political ground’ and so it is tagging various issues only to block the revival of the trade benefit to it.”We have already fulfilled most of the conditions that tagged in the Action Plan. The government also has taken measures to improve the working conditions and workplace safety to avail the GSP facility again. But, the US administration remain rigid on its position taking the issue politically,” he added.M Shahidullah Azim further said that the industry leaders do not see any specific reason or logic behind a lingering process of reinstate the facility in fabour of Bangladesh when it has made significant progress in implementing the Action.”They (US) can reinstate the GSP facility right now considering the progress of the Action plan prescribed by the USTR. But ‘politics’ might be motivating the decision,” he added. When asked, the BGMEA leader, said, the suspension of GSP was largely symbolic since it has little effect on the garment industry because 96 per cent of local apparel products are exempt from the US’s GSP status. ‘But the suspension of GSP facility to Bangladesh by the US authorities has tarnished image of the industry abroad,” he added.
