Address labour rights to get back GSP facility: US

Dhaka and Washington have committed to work together to improve Bangladesh’s labour rights conditions which have been an issue of concern for the US. The commitment came at the first-ever US-Bangladesh Labour Working Group meeting held virtually on Thursday. Washington maintains that GSP suspension could be lifted and Bangladesh could be eligible to receive funding from the US International Development Finance Corporation if the concerns about labour rights violations were addressed.
The US suspended the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facility to Bangladesh in 2013 following the Rana Plaza collapse. It has not been withdrawn despite repeated calls from Bangladesh. Under the GSP facility, Bangladesh enjoyed trade benefits. Washington also wants improvement of the workplace safety and full implementation of the ILO roadmap, whose priority areas are labour law reform, trade union registration, labour inspection and enforcement, and addressing acts of anti-union discrimination or unfair labour practices and violence against workers.
According to a statement of the US State Department, the two sides discussed collaboration and assistance to Bangladesh as it takes further steps to implement the ILO roadmap and adhere to internationally recognised labour rights. The objective of the meeting was to support Bangladeshi implementation of commitments to improve labour rights protections and to further economic cooperation between the United States and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh puts much importance on the labour-related recommendations forwarded by the US. The US has asked to consider funding Bangladesh under the International Finance Development Corporation. The government should honestly enforce labour rights in all industries and comply with the environmental and green energy regulations to retain the GSP facility. Beyond business, we should provide a healthy work environment for labours and protect their rights.
Global consumers have become aware of environment and labour safety and they want to see the reflection of their demand in their clothes production process. We must say the consumers should bear the cost of compliance, while the government accelerates diplomatic processes.