US Ticfa team to visit RMG, shrimp plants to evaluate progress

Syful Islam | Published: March 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

A team of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will visit several apparel units and shrimp processing plants in the country to get a firsthand experience on the progress Bangladesh has made so far on labour rights and safety issues, sources said.
The USTR team has proposed the Dhaka visit in the first week of April to hold the first council meeting of Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (Ticfa) which was signed between Bangladesh and US on November 25.
The two sides are now getting prepared to hold the first council meeting of Ticfa deal which came into force on January 30 this year aiming to bolster bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.
Officials said during their seven-day stay in Dhaka members of the US team will meet stakeholders from both public and private sector to get information about improvements on labour welfare and working conditions.
The team will hold separate meetings with implementing agencies like directorate of inspection for factories and establishments, labour inspectors, and fire service officials.
Sources said the USTR team will propose formation of a GSP labour committee which they have successfully done with Sri Lanka.
Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the FE that Bangladesh side is yet to finalise the agenda for the first Ticfa council meeting. However, replying to a query, he said revival of GSP facility in US market will get importance in the meeting.Â Â
A senior commerce ministry official said the meeting and visit of USTR officials to readymade garment (RMG) factories and shrimp processing plants is very much vital for the revival of the GSP facility for Bangladeshi products to the US market.
The US administration suspended the facility for Bangladeshi products in July last year citing labour rights violations and poor working conditions in the factories.
After that it forwarded an Action Plan to the government of Bangladesh for implementation to improve working conditions, workplace safety and labour welfare in Bangladeshi factories.
Proper implementation of the Action Plan is likely to lead to the revival of the GSP facility for Bangladeshi goods to the US market," the US administration has hinted.
The sub-committee on US GSP Action Plan reviewed the progress made in labour welfare by Bangladesh until December last year. It will conduct next review of the Action Plan in May.
The USTR has requested for making remarkable progress in implementation of the Action Plan by May next so that they can recommend to the US President for reinstatement of GSP facility for Bangladeshi products.