The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

As a part of GSP review process the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has started to scrutinise the progress so far made by Bangladesh regarding labour issue.

A three member USTR delegation will visit Dhaka from 14 to 16 April where they will meet different stakeholders, especially readymade garment sector related organisations, ministry officials and some American companies.

During the visit the delegation will also hold a dialogue with the government on intellectual property rights issue.

Meanwhile, a petition filed by the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) regarding removal of Bangladesh from the eligible beneficiary list of Generalised System of Preference (GSP) is under trail before the USTR.

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

The AFL-CIO on June 22, 2007 filed a petition with the USTR requesting removal of Bangladesh from the eligible beneficiary country 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.

On October 4, 2007 Bangladesh government officials stand before the USTR in Washington on the hearing and gave a presentation on Bangladesh's stand on labour rights issue. Later, they also send the reply to some queries made by the USTR.

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.

A new trade bill titled "The New Partnership for Development Act of 2007" allowing duty free access of goods of least developed countries to the US market is also awaiting approval.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the visit of the USTR officials the ministry of commerce yesterday organised an inter-ministerial meeting where the representatives of different ministries have expressed their disappointment as the US embassy officials in Dhaka are not following diplomatic rules.

"They are yet to send us the meeting schedule and are not following the Vienna Convention," said an official in the meeting adding that," If they do not cooperate with us how they can expect the same?"