The US and Bangladesh have agreed to initiate talks on workers’ rights and safety in the South Asian country, weeks after the collapse of a commercial building in Dhaka in April that killed 1,129 people in one of the world’s worst industrial disasters.
An agreement in this regard was reached following the meeting between Trade Representative Michael Froman and Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Akramul Qader.
“No workers should have to sacrifice their safety or their basic rights in order to secure a livelihood for themselves and their families,” Froman said after the meeting.
“We look forward to renewed and sustained engagement with the Government of Bangladesh and other stakeholders to strengthen workers’ rights and safety through implementation of the Action Plan and through our coordinated efforts with the European Union and the International Labor Organization on the recently announced Sustainability Compact,” Froman said.
Officials from USTR and the Departments of Labour and State will discuss the implementation of an Action Plan with Bangladeshi officials, which was released on July 19.
Implementation of the actions outlined in the Plan could provide a basis for the US President to consider reinstatement of the Generalised System of Preferences trade benefits for Bangladesh, which were suspended in June 2013. The suspension becomes effective on September 3, 2013.
The Plan provides a list of measures related to fire and building safety, as well as workers’ rights in the garment industry, export processing zones, and shrimp sector, which the US Government encourages Bangladesh to take in order to address workers’ rights and safety issues.
During the meeting, Froman discussed with Qader new developments on workers’ rights in Bangladesh, including recent labour law reform, and emphasised the importance of following through with concrete actions that would address broad concerns related to the ability of workers to exercise their fundamental rights and to work in safe workplaces.