DHAKA, Dec 4, 2023 (BSS) - Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh today said
that no such situation has been created to impose trade related restrictions
centering the labour rights issue in Bangladesh.

"There has been enough progress on labour rights through amendment of the
labour act and the BEZA act. The USA will be updated soon about such scenario
of progress," he said.

The Commerce Secretary said this after chairing a special inter-ministerial
meeting to review the progress on the implementation of the national work-
plan on labour issues held at the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat
today.

Tapan said that as per their fresh labour policy, the USA wants to see
concerned labour environment is improved in all countries across the world,
it is not targeting a single country like Bangladesh.

Mentioning that the emphasis given by the US government to improve the labour
standard in not new, the Senior Commerce Secretary said, "It's an ongoing
process, issuing a memorandum doesn't mean that its new. We're always in the
reforms process and we're trying to fulfill our goal following their
suggestions," he added.

He also asserted that whatever necessary would be done taking alongside the
concerned stakeholders at all level in order to ensure that the export market
is not affected.

Tapan also said that Bangladesh has been exporting RMG items across the globe
through maintaining international demand and complying with the labour rights
as envisioned in the Labour Act.

Labour Secretary Md Ehsan-e-Elahi, FBCCI president Md Mahbubul Alam, BGMEA
president Faruque Hassan, BKMEA executive president Mohammed Hatem, concerned
officials of the Ministry of Commerce and other agencies were present, among
others, on the occasion.

Referring to the review report of the European Union (EU), Tapan said the
fresh wage structure in the RMG sector has already been announced which will
be made effective from January next year.

"Besides, the government is also working to ensure what can be done to ensure
workers' welfare. There were some conditions from some countries including
the EU and the USA. Most of the demands from the USA on Labour Act and BEZA
Act have been fulfilled. The Labour Act has been amended thrice over the last
few years," he added.

The meeting also discussed about the labour standard, progress in
implementation of the Labour Act, labour rights and justified wage situation.