BD should further improve working conditions in RMG: US

Bangladesh should further improve working conditions in garment factories, US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal has said. Biswal made this point while meeting Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed who is now in the US. The meeting took place on Wednesday local time in the Washington DC. Bangladesh embassy in the US counsellor (commerce) Shamsul Islam said Desai had lauded Bangladesh’s effort to improve safety of garment workers and for safeguarding their rights. She also asked Bangladesh to work closely with neighbouring India and Myanmar. Tofail Ahmed detailed the steps taken by his government for improving working conditions and safety so that US could restore Generalised System of Preference (GSP) facilities. In June last year, the US had suspended GSP benefits for Bangladesh products for its reported failure to improve workplace safety and to ensure trade union rights in EPZs. Later the Obama administration also unveiled a plan detailing some conditions including improving work place environment for workers to get back the GSP facilities. The assistant secretary of state and Bangladesh commerce minister also discussed increasing bilateral trade and regional relations, said a spokesperson of the US Department of State.Tofail Ahmed held separate meetings with senior officials working on trade and commerce and workers' rights in South Asia. He held talks with United States Trade Representative's (USTR) Ambassador Michael Froman, according to bdnews24.com.