A representative of a US labour rights group arrives in Dhaka today (Wednesday) to make further review of the situation in the country's leading export-oriented industries.
Ellie Kiel Larson, executive director of the American labour group Solidarity Centre, will be here to check on the improved situation as claimed by a Bangladesh team during a visit to the US.
Ms. Larson will visit readymade garments, knitwear and shrimp processing factories.
"It is expected that during her visit she will look into the workers' rights situation in Bangladesh," said Kazi Md. Shamsul Alam, commercial councillor of Bangladesh embassy in the US in a letter to exporters' associations.
Ms. Larson will meet with the public-private sector officials, he wrote.
He said: "It will be useful if private sector officials meet her and explain the real situation."
The exporters will get the opportunity to explain and show the improved labour rights situation in factory premises to US labour group leader, which will also help them keep the flow of export to US market smooth, officials said.
In June last, a three-member team, led by fisheries secretary, held a series of meetings with the US public and private sector officials. It has informed them about the improved labour rights situation prevailing in the shrimp sector.
The team visited the US after a powerful US labour group AFL-CIO and its associate 'Solidarity Center' aired a report on the CNN, accusing the exporters of employing child labour and abusing labour rights in the shrimp processing plants.
Following the misleading report, a high-powered team of the sector visited the US to discuss the matter.
The team has held a series of meetings with the US trade representatives, high officials of AFL-CIO and congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney.
"The team has been able to convince the US authority about the existing improved situation in the shrimp farms," said a fisheries ministry official.
The exporters have strongly protested the views of the US labour group that allegedly reported widespread violation of workers' rights in the country's processing plants.
The United States is the single biggest market of Bangladeshi prawn and lobster. Last year, the country earned more than $515 million by exporting frozen food, which mostly included processed shrimps.
