AFL-CIO on Workers' Rights in Bangladesh

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=7611

Govt getting ready to reply to USTR queries
Star Business Report

Government is now preparing to fill in a questionnaire on Bangladesh workers' rights situation as desired by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) with a view to clearing a misconception arisen after a number of complaints lodged by a US rights group.

The USTR arranged a public hearing in Washington on October 4 about the allegation made by American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisation (AFL-CIO).

Afterwards, the US government trade body had asked the Bangladesh government to answer their set of questions clarifying the actual state of labour rights in the country.

"The main objective of the USTR's hearing against Bangladesh is to enforce labour compliance properly. They have no intention to harm Bangladesh's export market and economy," Feroz Ahmed, commerce secretary, told an inter-ministerial meeting yesterday at the ministry, which was organised in response to the USTR's questionnaire sent to Dhaka.

Representatives from Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association and Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and the ministries of fisheries and livestock and labour and employment attended the meeting.

Following the meeting, the commerce secretary informed reporters that all the stakeholders have been asked to reply by October 16 to the questions raised by the USTR during the Washington hearing.


FULL story at link.