Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & the Exporters Association (BGMEA) in a meeting with a visiting US trade delegation, repeated their commitment and the ongoing efforts of Bangladesh to continue to uplift the industry by making progress on workers' rights and welfare issues.
A meeting between the visiting delegation of the US Trade Representative (USTR), a US federal agency that negotiates directly with foreign governments on behalf of Washington in matters of trade, and BGMEA was held at the BGMEA Complex in Dhaka on Monday (April 22).
This high-level engagement aimed to discuss critical issues surrounding bilateral trade and policies, including workers' rights and well-being, and market access.
The US team was led by Brendan Lynch, Assistant USTR for South and Central Asia. The delegation also included Emily Ashby, USTR Director for South and Central Asia, and Jennifer Oetken, USTR Director for Labor Affairs.
Besides, the US Embassy in Dhaka's Joseph Giblin, the mission's Economic Unit Chief, and Leena Khan, Labour Attaché, were also present in the meeting.
The BGMEA side was headed by its President SM Mannan Kochi and included Senior Vice President Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President (Finance) Md. Nasir Uddin, and Vice President Abdullah Hil Rakib.
Directors of BGMEA Asif Ashraf, Shovon Islam, Mohammad Sohel Sadat, Md. Ashikur Rahman (Tuhin), Shams Mahmud, Nusrat Bari Asha, and Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on ILO and Labour Affairs ANM Saifuddin were also present.
During the discussions, BGMEA President Mannan shared updates on the significant progress made by the ready-made garment industry regarding workplace safety, workers' rights, and ongoing labour law reforms in Bangladesh.
He reiterated the commitment and the ongoing efforts of the government of Bangladesh and of the industry to make further progress in workers' rights and welfare issues.
BGMEA sought the support and collaboration of the US government to ensure a fair minimum price of apparel and a unified code of conduct for social audits. BGMEA also demanded the US government reinstate GSP in favour of Bangladesh and include garment items in its GSP program.
While the USTR delegates appreciated the progress Bangladesh made in the past few areas in the labour sector, they briefed the meeting about the U.S. government’s labour action plan and areas where further improvements are required, including amendments in the BLA.
The meeting highlighted the importance of collaboration and engagement toward making the RMG industry more sustainable.