US Senator Robert Menendez has sought immediate and substantial steps of the leaders of Bangladesh's apparel sector trade body against harassment and intimidation of trade union (TU) organisers and members at the hands of garment factory owners.
Mr Menendez wrote a letter dated March 24, 2014 to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Atiqul Islam, saying: "Union organisers and leaders in factories under BGMEA are still subject to intimidation and termination."
"I cannot support the renewal or expansion of Bangladesh's GSP (generalised system of preferences) benefits as long as union organisers and members are subject to harassment, intimidation and violence from BGMEA factory owners and managers," the senator said in his letter.
Mr Menendez also requested the BGMEA to play a stronger role in prevention of it.
Citing examples, he said, just last month four union
organisers, including two women, were reportedly severely injured by two dozen attackers as they tried to organise workers in a large garment factory. Two of the organisers were hospitalised. "Incidents like these are completely unacceptable and the BGMEA is obligated to play a stronger role in preventing them," he said.
Mr Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, held a hearing on workers' rights in Bangladesh in February last. A report on the issue was released earlier in November last after suspension of the GSP facility.
"Last year, at our first hearing on this topic, I urged the United States Trade Representative to suspend GSP benefits to Bangladesh because of the dire state of workers' rights and safety," the US senator said.
The GSP benefits were suspended shortly after the hearing, and an action plan was created that laid out several requirements for renewal of the facility, he added.
The action plan requires "protection of unions and their members from anti-union discrimination and reprisal."
Appreciating BGMEA's several initiatives taken to meet requirements under the Action Plan, the US senator said: "But more can and should be done."
Earlier, the written testimony submitted by the BGMEA to the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for its second hearing on workers' rights in Bangladesh, said the association would set up a new department to deal with workers' rights, recruit a labour consultant and prepare a plan to educate factory owners and workers on the labour law.
Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed ruled out Tuesday that any labour unrest took place in the country's readymade garment (RMG) sector recently.
He said his government would look into the content of the US senator's letter to the BGMEA president.
"The situation in the RMG sector and other industrial sectors is totally normal and calm. We have to think over what actually happened in this connection. I think it is unfortunate for us. It is not based on the fact," the minister told newsmen at his Secretariat office after German ambassador Dr. Albrecht Conze's courtesy call on him.
He alleged that a section of people made complaints to the US embassy in Bangladesh in this connection.
"The Bangladeshi apparel sector is smoothly moving forward. The sector will soon emerge the global leader and it is a matter of time," he said.
He also said all kinds of steps required were taken to ensure workers' security and rights in the RMG sector.
He expressed his hope that Bangladesh would get back the GSP facility for its products in the US market shortly.
The German ambassador in Dhaka expressed keen interest to provide locomotives for development of the Bangladesh Railway.
He, however, expressed concern over irregularities in the election to Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce.
