The government has stated in a report that some progress was made in respect of improvement in working conditions, appointment of factory inspectors and amendment to labour law in its action plan to be submitted to the USTR in a bid to regain GSP facility in the US market.
Other progress includes increase in fines for failure to comply with labour, fire or building safety standards, establishment of hotline for labour force to complain violation of workers' rights, amendment to labour law to ensure freedom of association and collective bargaining, training programme for industrial police and creation of database for labourers. These will be mentioned in the 'Bangladesh Action Plan 2013' to be sent to the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) by tomorrow (April 15).
The progress report which was finalised at an interministerial meeting on Sunday also includes reform in export processing zone (EPZ) law, upgradation of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment to the Directorate of Inspection for Factories and Establishment, steps taken for appointment of additional inspectors for the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defence and recruitment of manpower for Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).
Senior secretary, ministry of commerce (MoC) Mahbub Ahmed, presided over the meeting that finalised the progress report held at the conference room of the ministry on the day.
Earlier, the US government asked Bangladesh to fulfil 16 conditions for regaining the generalised system of preferences (GSP) facility. Most of the conditions have been fulfilled by the government.
"We have finalised the country's progress report. We will be able to send it to the US government by April 15," a high official of the MoC told the FE.
The MoC will send the report to the Bangladesh Mission in Washington. The Bangladesh Mission will forward it to the US authorities. The report is due to be submitted to the US government tomorrow (April 15).
The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisation (AFL-CIO) had submitted a petition to the US government in 2007 for suspending GSP facility mentioning that Bangladesh did not follow the international labour standard.
Hearings on the issue were held in 2009, 2011 and 2013 before the US government suspended GSP facility following the tragic incident at the Rana Plaza that claimed 1134 garment workers' lives on April 24, 2013 and Tazreen Fashions fire that claimed 112 lives on November 24, 2012.
Officials say the report is vital to regain the country's GSP facility in the US market. On receipt of the progress report, the US government will conduct its next review of the GSP Action Plan in May.
Appointment of 200 factory inspectors is a key condition for getting back the GSP facility. The government has already appointed 25 inspectors. The rest will be recruited soon after completion of the official formalities.
"We are in the process to recruit rest of the inspectors," Mikail Shipar, labour secretary, ministry of labour and employment told the FF Sunday.
Bangladesh exports goods including readymade garment (RMG) worth more than US $5 billion to the US market annually.
But under the GSP facility, Bangladesh's exports to the US market was worth $26 million or 0.54 per cent of Bangladesh's total exports to the US.
Plastic items, ceramic products and dry fishes were exported to the US market under the GSP facility.
High officials of the ministries of labour and employment, foreign affairs, housing and public works, home affairs, and representatives from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) attended the meeting.
Govt finalises action plan for submission to USTR tomorrow
FE Report | Published: April 13, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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