Leaders of the Bangladeshi American Democratic Caucus (BADC), held a series of meetings titled "Bangladesh Garment Review Meeting with the US Congressional Leaders" on Tuesday and early Wednesday at the Capitol Hills in Washington RC.
Reports received here in Dhaka said the two-day meetings discussed the GSP issues and Bangladesh's efforts to improve the working standard in garment factories including fire and building safety. The Caucus leaders had also discussed issues relating to Dhaka's long-time demand for duty free and quota free market access of apparel exports to the US market.
The meetings chaired by BADC President Dr. Nazmul Hassan (Shahin) was attended by Congressmen Sander Levin, John Conyers, Gary Peters, Chris Van Hollen, John Dingell, and representatives of Congressmen George Miller, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chris Van Hollen, Mike Honda,Keith Ellison, Gerry Connolly and Rush Holt.
US ambassador to Dhaka Dan Mozena also spoke on the occasion.
He told the meeting that Bangladesh had been working at improving fire safety standard, and ensuring factory structural fitness and workers rights to trade union. Dhaka may be a new standard for global garment industry in the end, he said.
It is also working on an action plan to get back the GSP which included a sustainability compact comprising Bangladesh, the USA, the EU and the ILO, he said.
He told the meeting that major global brands had so far contributed $100 million for safety inspection of over 2000 factories. The inspection is assessing safety measures is likely to be concluded soon. The results of the inspection will be placed in a publicly accessible database.
He however blamed the Bangladesh government for failing to recruit 200 new labour inspectors and adopt the reformed labour law. The issues relating to the government's commitment towards granting trade union rights to EPZ workers in line with national labour law is also not clear, he said.
He praised some owners for demonstrating full commitment to bring change in factory standard when their fellow factory owners are found to be indifferent. Opposition by some owners to workers' trade union rights still remains a problem, he said.
Representatives from the Ways and Means Trade Committee, US State Department, US Labor Department, USTR, Workers' Right Consortium, Solidarity Center, Commerce counsellor Shafiqul Islam and Political counsellor Nayeem Ahmed from the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington also attended the meeting.
"BADC-USA is a national political platform of the Bangladeshi American Democrats with chapters in different federal states. It works for promoting interest of the Bangladeshi Americans in the US political process.
Projecting the USA as the largest market of Bangladesh garments and Bangladesh its strategic ally, the BADC leaders sought the support of the US Congressmen and political establishments to restore the GSP facility. They said it though the GSP is not granted to apparels imported by the USA, its suspension has been working negatively on the image of Bangladesh.
They said the real issue is duty free and quota free market access of Bangladesh garment to the USA and urged the Congressmen to use their influence in this regard.
The BADC leaders said more dialogue is important to resolve any garments related issues like restoration of GSP, duty and quota free access, workers safety, labour union etc. BADC is working to facilitating the dialogue, they emphasized.
Members of American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers and Architects (AABEA) some of whom are already involved in the efforts at improving the working condition in Bangladesh garment factories were invited to the meeting. Members of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), North America, were also invited to the event.
The BADC leaders said Bangladesh garment industry has greatly improved the working condition this time after the Rana Plaza and Tazreen accident. They invited the US Congressmen to visit Dhaka to see it for themselves.
The Congressmen said the US is deeply committed to protecting workers rights and trade union. They are ready at the same time to help Bangladesh garment industry, not to distract the industry anyway. The US had similar labour safely issues 100 years back but Bangladesh must act quickly now in the new environment.
