Revival of GSP facilities

Labour rules to be �finalised soon�

All relevant labour rules will be finalised within a couple of weeks to fulfil all 16 conditions imposed by the US government for restoration of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facilities in the US market, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed has announced. “All the conditions will be fulfilled through finalisation of the labour rules,” he told reporters after meeting the ambassador and the high commissioner of the US and Canada respectively at his office in the Secretariat yesterday. US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, the head of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Dhaka, Sarah Cooke, Danish Ambassador Hanne Fugi Eskjer, and Canadian High Commissioner Benoît-Pierre Laramée met the minister.
Besides, senior secretary for commerce Hedayet Ullah Al Mamun, labour secretary Mikail Shipar, and foreign secretary Shahidul Haque were present at the meeting. The commerce minister said the discussion with the ambassadors and high commissioners had been very fruitful, and they had assured him that they would work with the government. Regarding the conditions imposed by the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Tofail Ahmed said they had completed all action plans, except labour rules. It will be completed within one or two weeks, he added.  Responding to a question regarding the political issue of GSP, the commerce minister said most Bangladeshis—even noted economist Rehman Sobhan—also think so.
Appreciating the improvement in safety in factories, Bernicat said progress in this regard was rapid. She also expressed hope to work jointly with the government for further improvement in the readymade garments (RMG) sector.  Replying to a question on the GSP facilities, the US Ambassador said she would inform her government about the proposed 16-point action plan. However, she said Bangladesh does not get GSP facilities for its RMG sector. “Only in the non- RMG sector does Bangladesh enjoy such facilities,” she said. “I have sent a report about the progress in the 16-point action plan and a team from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will visit Bangladesh to witness the progress,” she added. A USTR-led interagency review has concluded that while Bangladesh has made progress over the last year to address fire and building safety issues in the RMG sector, further progress is required, including the need to address serious workers’ rights issues, before reinstatement of Bangladesh’s trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) can be considered.

 

Revival of GSP facilities

Labour rules to be �finalised soon�

All relevant labour rules will be finalised within a couple of weeks to fulfil all 16 conditions imposed by the US government for restoration of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facilities in the US market, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed has announced. All the conditions will be fulfilled through finalisation of the labour rules, he told reporters after meeting the ambassador and the high commissioner of the US and Canada respectively at his office in the Secretariat yesterday. US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, the head of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Dhaka, Sarah Cooke, Danish Ambassador Hanne Fugi Eskjer, and Canadian High Commissioner Benot-Pierre Larame met the minister. Besides, senior secretary for commerce Hedayet Ullah Al Mamun, labour secretary Mikail Shipar, and foreign secretary Shahidul Haque were present at the meeting. The commerce minister said the discussion with the ambassadors and high commissioners had been very fruitful, and they had assured him that they would work with the government. Regarding the conditions imposed by the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Tofail Ahmed said they had completed all action plans, except labour rules. It will be completed within one or two weeks, he added. Responding to a question regarding the political issue of GSP, the commerce minister said most Bangladeshiseven noted economist Rehman Sobhanalso think so. Appreciating the improvement in safety in factories, Bernicat said progress in this regard was rapid. She also expressed hope to work jointly with the government for further improvement in the readymade garments (RMG) sector. Replying to a question on the GSP facilities, the US Ambassador said she would inform her government about the proposed 16-point action plan. However, she said Bangladesh does not get GSP facilities for its RMG sector. Only in the non- RMG sector does Bangladesh enjoy such facilities, she said. I have sent a report about the progress in the 16-point action plan and a team from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will visit Bangladesh to witness the progress, she added. A USTR-led interagency review has concluded that while Bangladesh has made progress over the last year to address fire and building safety issues in the RMG sector, further progress is required, including the need to address serious workers rights issues, before reinstatement of Bangladeshs trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) can be considered.