Kerry calls for safeguarding labour rights

US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday suggested protecting workers' rights in the garment sector and strengthening workplace safety in Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh cannot truly meet the aspirations of its people and share prosperity if its workers are not safe and their rights are not ensured," Kerry said, referring to the collapse of a building in 2013 that housed five garment factories and killed more than 1,100 people in the country's worst industrial disaster, according to the Associated Press.

Kerry said the US has supported Bangladesh's efforts in increasing safety inspections of garment factories and closing down substandard buildings following the disasters, according to AFP.

"But these steps are only part of the story. Enhancing worker safety must be paired with strengthening workers' rights," Kerry said in a speech in Dhaka.

The top US diplomat said this included allowing workers to form unions and affording them full collective bargaining rights.

But labour activists say they still face restrictions in entering the factory premises and the government fails to register the unions, which would give them the legal right to represent workers.

Speaking at an event in Dhaka, Kerry assured the union leaders of his government's support for establishing labour rights and strengthening workplace safety in the sector that earns more than $28 billion a year and employs about 4.4 million workers in 4,000 active factories.

Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation, a rights group, was among the labour leaders who met Kerry.

“Kerry wanted to know more from us about labour rights and workplace safety during a five-minute photo session with seven labour leaders,” she said.

Bangladesh's poor labour rights and weak workplace safety measures came to focus after the Tazreen Fashions fire and Rana Plaza building collapse that took the lives of more than 1,200 workers together.

Following the Rana Plaza building collapse, the US government suspended Bangladesh's trade benefit to the US market in June 2013, laying down 16 conditions to be fulfilled by Bangladesh for reinstatement of the GSP.

Bangladesh has fulfilled almost all the conditions, like amending the labour law and inspecting garment units by foreign agencies Accord and Alliance to address the structural, fire and electrical flaws in the factories.

The commerce ministry submitted a progress report to the US government twice for reinstatement of the GSP, but the Obama administration did not revive duty benefits for Bangladesh, although its third annual review since 2014 went by in June this year.

The US government suspended the trade benefits, citing serious shortcomings in workplace safety and poor labour rights in the factories.

The US is the single largest export destination for Bangladesh, sending goods worth more than $6.22 billion last fiscal year. Of total exports to the US, 95 percent is apparel items.