Senator Harkin due Jan 8

Senator Tom Harkin, the man who made child labour a major trade topic some five years ago, will be in town next week on a two-day trip.

The US senator will meet government and garment industry leaders during his January 8-9 stay in Dhaka.

Harkin's visit is seen by the industry leaders here as an important event towards convincing the US in raising Bangladesh's garment quota.

The much-publicised Harkin Bill, a legislation the Senator had aimed against American import of goods made with under-age labour, forced countries including Bangladesh to arrange schooling for children in factories.

In 1995, controversies sparked off by the proposed law led to a MOU involving the factory owners (BGMEA), ILO and the UNICEF to send working children to school.

Last month, former US Representative Stephen Solarz, who now acts as a lobbyist for Bangladesh's garment industry seeking a 30 per cent quota raise, was here.