US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena said Wednesday Bangladesh needed to meet within the given timeframe the remaining conditions set under the Action Plan for restoration of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in the US market.
The US envoy admitted that progress was made in some areas in addressing the compliance issues. But he said some challenges still remained.
He was talking to the media after a meeting of the 'Three plus Five' comprising commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed, foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque, a joint secretary of the ministry of labour and employment, and five ambassadors from the US, Canada, the European Union, the Netherlands and Spain. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) in the city.
"We have discussed in the meeting how to address the remaining challenges." he said.
Earlier in June last year US President Barack Obama suspended the preferential trade benefit or GSP for Bangladeshi products over mainly the unsafe working conditions in the readymade garment sector of Bangladesh, especially after the Rana Plaza collapse and the Tazreen Fashions fire.
Next April would mark one year of the Rana Plaza tragedy. All would ask about the improvement in Bangladesh's garment sector, Mr Mozena said. "We've discussed that it is needed to extend Bangladesh labour act to Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Move could be taken in this connection. We all are positive to extend trade union in EPZ," Mr Mozena said replying to a question.
Earlier on the day the US ambassador along with Netherlands ambassador Gerben De Jong, EU ambassador William Hanna, Canadian ambassador Heather Cruden, Spain Ambassador Luis Tejada and Srinivas Reddy from the ILO made a courtesy call on Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed.
The government already met 13 out of 16 conditions, set by the US. The remaining three conditions included appointment of 200 more inspectors, allowing trade unions in export processing zones (EPZs) and a database on registration of trade unions and inspection of factories, Mr Tofail Ahmed said.
While talking to the media after the courtesy call at his Secretariat office, he expressed his confidence that all the remaining conditions would be met by March 30 next.
"Bangladesh will be able to send a detailed report by April 15 next by meeting all conditions of the US to get the GSP facility restored. A review for restoration of the GSP in the US market could be held in June next," he said.
Trade union activities had not allowed in the EPZs since their establishment in the country. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) put pressure for allowing TU activities in EPZs, Mr Tofail told the reporters.
"We have decided that trade union activities in EPZs will be facilitated gradually in line with the country's existing labour law. But it will take time to be effective," he said.
The minister also said the appointment of 200 inspectors had to be completed by March 30 next.
