The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

Bangladesh will face a hearing before the United States Trade Representative on October 4 as a US labour federation filed petition to remove it from the eligible beneficiary of Generalised System of Preference (GSP).

Under the GSP programme Bangladesh ships 1 per cent of its total exports to US market free of duty.

A nine-member government delegation headed by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Humayun Kabir will atend the hearing. Other members of the delegation will comprise representatives from Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BEPZA, BGMEA and BKMEA.. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO's) on June 22, 2007 filed a petition with the USTR requesting removal of Bangladesh from the eligible beneficiary of the US GSP accusing it of denial of labour rights.

The US labour federation alleged violation of domestic and internationally recognised workers rights in the Export Procession Zones (EPZs).

It also alleged labour standards in the readymade garment sector and in the shrimp and fish processing industries.

The labour body also drew the notice of USTR, to harassment and negation of rights by government security forces against the trade union leaders and activists.

During the hearing the AFL-CIO will strongly argue about the violation of workers' rights in accordance with the "The EPZ Workers Association and Industrial Relations Act 2004."

Sources said an amendment to the 1974 Trade and Tariff Act, requires that countries receiving GSP benefits enforce international labour standards, inducing the right to form associations, the right to organise and bargain collectively, a prohibition against compulsory labour, a minimum age for employment of children and regulations governing minimum wages, working hours and occupational safety and health.

Meanwhile, in May 2004, Bangladesh government has allowed partial labour rights in the EPZ under US pressure.

It may be mentioned here that earlier the AFL-CIO's in 1990, for the first time filed a petition against Bangladesh asserting violation of labour rights. Later on June 16, 1999 it also filed another petition to the USTR following the failure of Bangladesh government to establish labour rights in the EPZ. The AFL-CIO's also filed a supplementary petition highlighting a decision of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).

Bangladesh is trying for a long time to get duty free access of its products to the US market A bill seeking duty-free access of products of Bangladesh and 13 other Least Developed Countries (LDC) to the United States market was raised in the US Congress in 2005 but is yet to make any headway.

The 13 other countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, the Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, East Timor, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Yemen.