Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said there is nothing to worry about new US policy on labor rights as Americans and Europeans buy Bangladeshi readymade garments due to its competitive prices and quality.
“There is nothing to worry about it. They (the US) buy our products because our products are high quality and prices are cheap and delivery is made on time,” he said while talking to the reporters at the foreign ministry in the capital Dhaka.
On November 16, the US rolled out "Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally”.
Washington said it will work to “hold accountable those who threaten, intimidate, attack on union leaders, labor rights defenders, labor organizations-- including using things like sanctions, trade penalties and visa restrictions” –all the tools in their kit.
After that Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC in a letter to the Bangladesh commerce ministry said politics is behind what is said about labor rights in the memorandum, and the US would try to use the political purpose in different ways.
The foreign minister said the US is a major market for the RMG export and it is the private sector that exports and it is the US private sector that buys Bangladeshi products.
"They buy our products because our products are high quality and the prices are cheap and delivery is made on time," Momen added.
The foreign minister said Dhaka will definitely welcome if the US takes initiatives for the development of the entire labor sector worldwide.
“Bangladesh wants to see all workers leading a good life,” he said.
He said Bangladesh does not want to see any efforts that hinder the development journey of Bangladesh.
Regarding today’s meeting between Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, the Foreign Minister said it is a routine meeting.
"We are happy that he (Haas) has returned after the vacation,” Momen said.
Source: BSS