Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has brought an allegation that various non-worker labour leaders of the country are spreading misinformation in the USA about the apparel industry of Bangladesh.
He raised the allegation at a press briefing at his secretariat office in the capital yesterday, following his visit to the USA from June 11 to 14.
He, however, noted that the USTR will very soon place a bill at the US Congress for restoration of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which was suspended following the Tazreen Fashion fire and Rana Plaza collapse.
The minister said the officials of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) expressed their satisfaction over the progress of the Action Plan the USA imposed on Bangladesh to improve the labour standards and factory conditions.
But, he failed to produce any specific statement from the congressmen and the officials of the USTR, whom he met during his visit, although the minister claimed that a congressman had termed the progress on the conditions to regain GSP facilities as miraculous.
As Bangladesh has been deprived of GSP facilities in the US market from July last year, Bangladeshi products will regain the GSP facilities in the US market unless the political and other issues become the deciding factors, Tofail added.
“The US government has assured us that only stakeholders of garment industries will be called during the GSP hearing although the USTR did never call the stakeholders in the previous years.”
As the USTR officials referred to a letter sent by Geneva-based IndustryAll, Bangladesh that mentioned about labour exploitation in the country, the commerce minister explained: “I had been able to remove the misunderstanding of the officials about the labour condition created by that letter.”
He informed the USTR that those raising the issues are actually non-workers, and requested the authorities in the US to ensure that government representatives are allowed to attend the hearings on RMG export from the country, besides the labour leaders.
The Commerce Minister further said IndustryAll Council President Nazrul Islam Khan is a BNP leader, and mentioned that other union leaders like Kalpana Akhter and Babul Akhter are responsible for creating unrest in the RMG sector.
Regarding the pressure to form a trade union in each factory by United States, Tofail said only 7% of private sector factories have trade unions while 35% of government sector factories have trade unions even in the United States.
Labour leaders claim they’re innocent
Labour leader Roy Ramesh, who is the secretary of IndustriAll Bangladesh Council, told Dhaka Tribune that the IndustriAll is one of the biggest labour organisations in world. IndustriAll Bangladesh Council did not send any letter to the USTR.
“I am strongly saying the commerce minister was not even near the truth,” he said, in a sharp reaction. “If he has any document regarding IndustriAll letter, please disclose in front of the nation. Otherwise, the minister should withdraw his statement.”
He further said IndustriAll will hold a press conference within a day or two unless the statement is withdrawn.
Nazrul Islam Khan, chairman of IndustriAll and member of BNP standing committee, said they have not sent any latter to USTR regarding canceling of GSP facilities.
“Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed made the statement to cover his failure,” he said. “I will face any punishment if the commerce ministry can show the document.”
