Bangladesh still has the opportunity to get trade benefits in garments products under GSP Plus. Members of the European Parliament visiting Bangladesh showed such hope in a meeting with the leaders of associations related to the garments industry.
The meeting was held on Monday (18 July) at the Gulshan office of BGMEA, an association of garment industry owners. Heidi Hautala, Chair of the delegation and Member of Parliament, attended the meeting along with the members of the delegation of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament. Among the members of the European Parliament, the delegation also included José Manuel García-Margallo, Sven Simon, Agnes Jongerius, Jordi Cañas Pérez and Maximilian Krah. The delegation also included the International Trade Committee (INTA) Head of Unit Martti Kalaus and INTA Committee Administrator Gabriel Alvarez Recarte. European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh and Head of Delegation Charles Whiteley was also present at the meeting.
BGMEA representatives in the meeting included President Faruque Hassan, Vice President Miran Ali, Vice President (Finance) Khandkar Rafiqul Islam, Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin, Director Harun Ur Rashid, Director Barrister Vidya Amrit Khan, BGMEA Standing Committee on ILO Issues Chairman ANM Saifuddin. Also present were BKMEA, an association of manufacturers of knitwear products, Executive President Mohammad Hatim, Vice President Fazle Shamim Ehsan, and Vice President Md. Akhtar Hossain Apurbo.
Through the meeting, it has been known, that the amendment of the EPZ Act was among the issues that the delegation emphasised in the discussion. The members of the delegation sought the cooperation of garment industry owners in formulating an inspection system under the Department of Inspection of Factories and Institutions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment by amending the EPZ’s inspection clause. The EU delegation also raised allegations of blacklisting of workers by garment industry owners. In addition, the members of the EU Parliament’s International Trade Committee in the delegation also expressed concern about the discriminatory treatment of female workers at the workplace, and about a large number of pending cases in the labour court.
Sources in the meeting informed that the European Union is interested in making a free trade agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh, and the representatives of the garments industry told the delegation that this matter can be fruitful if it is discussed at the government level. One of the important topics discussed in the meeting was the issue of trade facilitation of garments products under GSP Plus. According to the new rules of the facility, if a product accounts for more than 6% of the EU’s total imports, the country’s exporters will not receive trade benefits for the entry of that product from a country. If this rule comes into effect, none of the Bangladeshi woven and knitwear and home textile products will have the opportunity to be on the list of trade-facilitated products. The delegation of the EU Parliament said that Bangladesh can still be hopeful about this matter.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan apprised the members of the visiting delegation of the current situation of the Bangladesh garments industry including the industry’s progress in terms of workplace safety, sustainable development of the environment, and workers’ rights and welfare. He added that BGMEA recently unveiled its sustainable strategic vision, which aims to accelerate the growth of the garments industry in a manner that is sustainable and has a positive impact on the economy, environment, and people’s lives.
Faruque Hassan informed that the garments industry has joined the government in implementing the roadmap developed by the government in collaboration with the ILO to further improve labour rights and welfare issues. He also said that Bangladesh and the European Union have maintained friendly relations for a long time, which have become stronger with time. Thanking the European Union for providing cooperation in the development of the garments industry, Faruque Hassan expressed the hope that the EU will continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in the post-LDC era.
