High-powered team to attend USTR hearing in Oct
FE Report | Thursday, 28 August 2008
The government has formed a high-powered team to attend the hearing of the USTR (United States Trade Representative) in October next, commerce ministry in a statement said.
The hearing will be held on a writ petition filed by an American non-government organisation AFL-CIO in USTR in 2007 for withdrawal of GSP (generalised system of preference) facility for Bangladesh. The US organisation blamed that shrimp farms and garment industries of Bangladesh inside and outside export processing zone (EPZ) are violating international labour laws.
On October 4, 2007, a Bangladesh delegation attended the same hearing. After the hearing an inspection team of the USTR and a US labour group visited the country to see development in labour rights issues.
Following a positive report of the team, the US government has extended the time of GSP facility by one year.
The ministry of commerce held a meeting Wednesday to take preparation for attending the second hearing and a pre-brief session for the USTR. Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed chaired the meeting.
The team that will attend the hearing includes high officials of fisheries and livestock ministry, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and exporters from garments and shrimp sector.
In the meeting, Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) representatives said minimum wages have been implemented in 99.49 per cent factories as per agreement with the government signed on 2006.
The BGMEA claimed that around 85.72 per cent workers have received their appointment letters as per the tripartite agreement.
The hearing will be held on a writ petition filed by an American non-government organisation AFL-CIO in USTR in 2007 for withdrawal of GSP (generalised system of preference) facility for Bangladesh. The US organisation blamed that shrimp farms and garment industries of Bangladesh inside and outside export processing zone (EPZ) are violating international labour laws.
On October 4, 2007, a Bangladesh delegation attended the same hearing. After the hearing an inspection team of the USTR and a US labour group visited the country to see development in labour rights issues.
Following a positive report of the team, the US government has extended the time of GSP facility by one year.
The ministry of commerce held a meeting Wednesday to take preparation for attending the second hearing and a pre-brief session for the USTR. Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed chaired the meeting.
The team that will attend the hearing includes high officials of fisheries and livestock ministry, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and exporters from garments and shrimp sector.
In the meeting, Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) representatives said minimum wages have been implemented in 99.49 per cent factories as per agreement with the government signed on 2006.
The BGMEA claimed that around 85.72 per cent workers have received their appointment letters as per the tripartite agreement.