The United States has said as Bangladesh moves to graduate from a least developed country to a middle-income country in 2026, more will be expected of it on labour rights, as well human rights, and good governance.  "Strong labour laws and their implementation are needed to provide U.S. companies and investors with assurances that Bangladesh is a stable and predictable environment and can create greater economic opportunities for both of our countries," US Department of Labor’s Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Thea Lee told UNB in an exclusive interview done remotely.  Asked whether US sees other countries the same way like Bangladesh when it checks labour standards and workers’ rights, Lee said the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. government seek and support respect for fundamental workers’ rights in all countries with which they have trade and diplomatic relations, and for all countries that are part of the global economy.  Lee, who was named Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs on May 10, 2021,  said their government has consistently supported the people and workers of Myanmar in their efforts to advance democracy and protect human and workers’ rights in their country.  "We continue to work with likeminded nations and the international institutions in supporting these desires of the people of Myanmar, calling for the restoration of the democratically-elected government," Lee said, adding that they have strongly condemned – and supported international efforts to counter – the denial of democratic and human rights by the military regime.  She said the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. government recognize the important progress that the Bangladesh garment industry has made related to building safety and remediating safety hazards identified through engineers’ inspections of export garment factories over the 10 years since the Rana Plaza collapse.  April 24th marks the ten-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in which 1,134 workers were killed. There has also been "significant progress" in establishing and training worker-management safety committees at many of the garment factories, said the deputy undersecretary who has been advocating for workers’ rights, both domestically and internationally, for over thirty years. The US welcomed the establishment of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety In Bangladesh at the time of its establishment, and recognizes today the important contributions it has made to the progress realized in the RMG sector since the collapse.  "There is also significant work that remains to be done. This includes completing all remediation of safety hazards at all inspected factories," Lee said, adding that many factories lack functioning fire detection systems and fire suppression systems.  Many have yet to complete critical building structural strengthening. Building safety compliance must be continuously monitored and maintained. This requires dedicated attention in an ongoing manner, she mentioned.  "To “reach the top” in terms of labor standards takes commitment, resources, and will. Bangladesh has long been the 2nd largest exporter of garments in the world. The industry is known for its world-class products. However, such a designation in the global garment industry comes with expectations and obligations," Lee said.  These include not just producing good quality products but also good jobs, with safe working conditions where workers’ rights and dignity are respected, Lee thinks. She said they have been a longstanding and reliable partner of Bangladesh and have consistently supported programmes to advance internationally recognized worker rights in Bangladesh’s desire to “reach the top”.  "We have been a leading member of the Sustainability Compact and associated “3+5+1” group. We continue to engage regularly on labor with the government of Bangladesh, including through the Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (“TICFA”) and the High-Level Economic Consultation." Read more: Bangladesh considers labour rights related recommendations from US, EU, ILO with due importance: PM's Adviser Lee mentioned that they also have the newly launched Labor Working Group led by their labor attaché at the US Embassy in Dhaka.  "The labor attaché is working closely and regularly with your government, industry, unions and with likeminded partners to advance high labor standards and their enforcement in practice," she said.  "Her presence in Bangladesh is a direct reflection of the importance our government places on our ongoing partnership, and our investment in seeing Bangladesh make real progress in the labor space," Lee said. Rewards for Progress  Asked what are the rewards that the US government is considering for the progress made so far, Lee said the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) comes with clear statutory requirements and eligibility criteria which apply to all beneficiary countries.  With respect to worker rights, the Trade Act of 1974 requires that GSP beneficiary countries must be taking steps to afford internationally recognized worker rights.  These include: freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labour; the establishment of a minimum age for the employment of children; implementing commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labour; and ensuring acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health.  Following the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013, the U.S. suspended GSP benefits due to labour rights violations concerning unsafe working conditions and lack of inspections in the RMG sector, restrictions to labour organizing, and violence against workers and trade unionists.  For more than a decade, the U.S. has regularly engaged with Bangladesh on these concerns through the GSP Action Plan, Sustainability Compact, TICFA and other dialogues.  "Following the withdrawal of GSP benefits, the United States recognizes Bangladesh has made progress to improve fire and building safety in the exporting RMG sector through the legally binding Accord," Lee said. Despite measurable progress over the past decade on building safety, she said, Bangladesh still falls short on fundamental rights of freedom of association and enforcing labour laws through inspections. As a key bilateral trading partner with Bangladesh, Lee said, the United States wants to see Bangladesh succeed in realizing concrete, measurable progress on worker rights, not only in the garment sector, but throughout the economy.  This means ensuring workers have the right to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and safer working conditions, including in the export processing zones and special economic zones, she said. "It is worth noting that, while our government is invested in seeing Bangladesh make progress on these important labor rights, we are not alone. The international community is also watching closely, including through the monitoring and reporting on the timebound Bangladesh road map at the International Labor Organization," Lee said. The U.S. government "continues to support" the government of Bangladesh and the social partners - independent trade unions and private sector representatives in Bangladesh - to achieve the progress necessary to consider removing the suspension of GSP benefits.  "Our commitment to continue such support and honest cooperation with the government of Bangladesh and the social partners remains firm," Lee said. Is there any scope to bring Bangladesh under GSP facility anew?    Lee said the GSP programme expired on December 31, 2020 and is subject to Congressional re-authorization.  Both the House and Senate have introduced different bills that include provisions to reauthorize GSP and add new criteria on human rights, environment, rule of law, anti-corruption, and economic measures to alleviate poverty.  Read more: US committed to continued cooperation with Bangladesh to improve labor rights: Donald Lu Both bills also propose expanding the labour criteria to include employment non-discrimination.  "Bangladesh’s access to GSP is led by a robust interagency process. Bangladesh will first have to reapply for GSP benefits following the program’s reauthorization," Lee said.  The GSP subcommittee will then evaluate whether Bangladesh is meeting all the GSP statutory criteria set by Congress, including any new criteria on labor.  Based upon an interagency recommendation, the President would make a determination about whether Bangladesh is meeting the requisite standard on worker rights, as well as on market access, intellectual property and other criteria established by Congress. "The United States supports and is working closely with Bangladesh in its efforts to make progress on internationally recognized worker rights, specifically its commitments under the timebound ILO road map," Lee said.  The US particularly wants to see progress on amending the Bangladesh Labour Act to bring it in line with international labour standards.  "We also hope to see progress on simplifying the registration process and seeing the successful registration of applications pending beyond the 55-day legal limit. We must also see progress on increasing the number and capacity of labor inspectors and ensuring penalties are sufficiently dissuasive," Lee said.  "And we need to see progress on unfair labor practices and acts of anti-union discrimination by holding perpetrators accountable. These are some of the steps that would help Bangladesh get back on track," she added. 

Prime Minister's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F. Rahman has said Bangladesh considers the recommendations of the United States of America, European Union and the International Labor Organization (ILO) on labor rights with due importance. Speaking at the virtual meeting of the US-Bangladesh labor working group on Thursday, Rahman detailed the steps taken by the current government in the labor sector. The Prime Minister's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment and US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez led the Bangladesh and US delegations respectively at the inaugural meeting of the working group. US team leader Fernandez praised the steps taken to develop the labour sector in Bangladesh and called for the full implementation of the recommendations of the International Labor Organization, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. He pledged to provide necessary cooperation and work together for the further development of the labour sector of Bangladesh. Bangladesh and the US discussed "collaboration and assistance" to Bangladesh as it takes further steps to implement the requirements developed by Bangladesh for its International Labor Organization roadmap and adhere to internationally recognized labor rights.

Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator Bob Menendez has underscored the importance of upholding labour rights and workers’ safety alongside economic progress in Bangladesh.  Senator Menendez noted with appreciation Bangladesh’s economic growth and social progress under the leadership of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.  Adviser for Private Industry and Investment to the Prime Minister Salman Fazlur Rahman held a meeting with Senator Bob Menendez at the latter’s Senate Hart Office Building, Washington DC on Thursday.  Also read: Child labour begins to creep back up after two decades: UN agencies Adviser Rahman apprised the Senator about various new initiatives taken at the behest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to further improve labour rights and workers’ safety. Referring to the recent fire incident in a factory in Rupgonj, the Adviser apprised the Senator of the formation of a high-powered committee headed by him to inspect building safety and remedial measures.   The discussion covered various aspects of Bangladesh-US relations.  The Advisor briefed the Senator on the impressive socio-economic development that has taken place in Bangladesh during the last 12 years under the "dynamic and visionary leadership" of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.  He sought the Senator’s support to further strengthen Bangladesh-US relations. Aslo read: Post-Pandemic World: Can labour rights roar back? The meeting was also attended by Finance Division Senior Secretary Abdur Rouf Talukder and Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Shahidul Islam. 

Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), a platform of over a dozen labour rights bodies, on Wednesday demanded judicial investigation into the killing of five workers of a coal-fired power plant at Banshkhali in Chattogram to ensure punishment  of those  responsible for the incident. It also demanded withdrawal of ‘false case’ to end harassment of workers, provide a good amount of compensation, arrangement for free treatment of the injured workers.   The federation staged a demonstration in front of the Jatiya Press Club to press home their demands at 11am on Wednesday, said a press release. SKOP joint coordinator and president of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra Shahidullah Chowdhury presided over the programme, while SKOP leaders Jatiya Sramik Federation president Kamrul Ahsan, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal president Anwar Hossain and Samajtantrik Sramik Front president Razekuzzaman Ratan and Jatiya Sramik Jote Bangladesh president Saifuzzaman Badsha, among others, spoke. Also read: Banshkhali incident: SKOP seeks exemplary punishment According to witnesses, the workers were demonstrating to meet their 10-point demand including payment of arrears and reducing the daily work hours to 4 on Friday and 8 on other days during Ramadan, they said. Though the authorities of the plant initially assured to accept their demands a day ago, they refused to meet these on the fateful day. Five workers were killed and over 50 others injured in an indiscriminate firing on the demonstration of workers, they claimed. Police can’t open fire indiscriminately unless the life-threatening risk is created, SKOP leaders  said.  Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident The SKOP leaders said it’ll have to look into the incident by a judicial body to unearth the true facts and identify the culprits. They also expressed grave concern for harassing workers by filing ‘false’ cases against several thousand workers. 

Labour rights have suffered immensely in Bangladesh amid the coronavirus pandemic as companies cut down on workers to save money for continuing the enterprises.