Ministry reviews GSP effort today

Bangladesh started reviewing the progress of an action plan for regaining the GSP from the United States, as the Obama administration suspended the trade privileges due to poor labour rights and working environment on June 27.
The commerce ministry, the lead ministry for implementing the action plan, will review the progresses at a meeting today, Commerce Minister GM Quader told The Daily Star.
“We will mainly discuss the major steps made by different ministries and departments as we have a target to implement the action plan to regain the trade privileges.”
A matrix will be created from the discussion of the stakeholders and will be reviewed periodically, he said.
Washington may give Dhaka another opportunity in December when it will have a hearing on the reinstatement of duty waiver for Bangladesh exports to the US market.
Of the major conditions in the action plan, Bangladesh has already amended the labour law in parliament on July 15 to allow trade unions in factories.
The labour and employment ministry is in the process to appoint a good number of building and fire safety inspectors to strengthen safety measures in factories.