Global Petition: GSP for Bangladesh in USA must not be cancelled
In full solidarity with the following appeal. Please act fast before the Oct 3rd deadline.
Dear All,
Please note that the livelihood security of 2 million ready made garments workers (of which more than 90% is women) of Bangladesh is facing a challenge as the issue of labor rights have once again being wrongly tagged with the undisputed provision of preferential market access of Bangladesh (as a least developed country) to USA.
Why are we calling on you?
We observe that AFL-CIO had submitted a petition to USTR with four main complaints. Based on which allegations, AFL-CIO is seeking cancellation of GSP in USA, a system that favors Bangladeshi garment export as in their opinion the country does not allow labor rights in export processing zones.
Although, Bangladeshi apparel sector or any major sectors do not enjoy GSP facilities from US, if the USTR takes the petition of AFL-CIO into consideration and gives any decision against Bangladesh, it will seriously hamper Bangladesh’s export interests in US. Such a decision may give a wrong signal to US traders as well as consumers about use of Bangladeshi products, he noted.
We fear that if the hearing on the petition (to be held on October 4, 2007), Bangladesh is deprived of GSP in USA, the RMG sector of Bangladesh, which is already facing a decline in orders at the face of elimination of export quotas, will suffer another setback. Hence this may soon result in closures of factories and mass retrenchment of workers (of which more than 90 percent are women).
What can you do to protect workers interests in Bangladesh?
We find the strategy of “punishing” Bangladesh by cancellation of GSP in USA under the allegation of poor labor performance in EPZ as counter productive – i.e. when the goal is to protect, promote and ensure workers rights in Bangladesh.
We observe that the WTO treaty and present global trade regime have little benefit for the least developed economies. The only safeguard for countries like Bangladesh at the face of expansion of trade of bigger economies is the provision of special and differential treatments – which also includes measures of preferential market access. In USA so far Bangladesh has not received the “duty and quota free” market access. The only provision of preference has been the GSP. If even that is taken away, Bangladesh RMG sector will surely not be benefited. The cancellation of GSP will have a dual negative-role – it will promote unfair trade by working as a non-tariff barrier and leave a negative impact on livelihood security of the millions of garments workers of the country.
Therefore, we call on you to can put your name on the call for “unconditional retention of GSP for Bangladesh exports in USA”. (click here to view the petition and register your support)
This e-mail petition with your solidarity signs will be sent to AFL-CIO and USTR authorities. Please note that our call has to reach before the hearing of 4th October 2007.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:45 am
can we put this on facebook?
-shahpar
October 1st, 2007 at 1:20 pm
We also can email the link to our friends.
October 1st, 2007 at 6:16 pm
[...] Unheard Voices on the threat to the livelihood of 2 million garment workers in Bangladesh, because of cancellation of the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) by the US. Share This [...]
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Please make a difference for your mother land.
Save the Garments Industry of Bangladesh.
Here is the contact information for the congress and senate representative by Zip code or state.Please pick up the phone and say not to withdraw the GSP facilities for Bangladesh.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt
Committed to PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW
Thursday, October 4, 2007 12:11 AM GMT+06:00
Business
GSP Facilities
Washington hearing on appeal against Bangladesh today
BGMEA, labour organisations fear negative impact if facilities lifted
Star Business Report
An open hearing on an appeal by a US rights group to withdraw the US Generalised System of Preference (GSP) from Bangladesh will be held at the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) in Washington today.
The hearing has been convened following the allegation from American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) that Bangladesh does not allow labour rights in export processing zones.
Representatives from Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza), Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association and the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs will attend the hearing, sources said.
Although GSP facilities extend a little benefit to Bangladesh, any lifting of such facilities would certainly establish the AFL-CIO’s claims about violation of labour rights in Bangladesh.
BGMEA President Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez said although Bangladesh apparel sector does not enjoy GSP facilities from US, any anti-Bangladesh decision after taking the petition into consideration by the USTR would take serious toll on the country’s exports to the US.
Such a decision may send a wrong signal to the US traders as well as consumers about use of Bangladeshi products, he noted.
In its petition, the AFL-CIO made four complaints that included violation of domestic and internationally recognised workers’ rights in EPZs, violation of domestic labour laws and internationally recognised labour standard in readymade garments (RMG) industry, similar violations in shrimp and fish processing industries, and violent actions by government security forces against trade unionists, workers and labour rights groups.
Meanwhile, leaders of RMG labour organisations yesterday urged the US government not to discontinue the GSP facility for Bangladesh just to satisfy the US-based labour rights group.
They said if the US government considers the false and baseless petition filed by the rights group, Bangladesh’s RMG sector will face a massive setback, resulting in joblessness for female garment workers.
Bangladesh Garments Workers Union Council (BGWUC) made the appeal at a press conference held at The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) office.
They demanded continuation of the GSP facilities for Bangladeshi products and even expansion of the facilities for apparels on the plea that the sector is dependent fully on female workers.
“If the US authorities want to empower global women, especially the Bangladeshi poor women, they should not consider the complaint lodged by the AFL-CIO, rather they should continue the GSP facilities for Bangladesh,” Nazma Akther, president of the Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation, told the journalists.
She said the AFL-CIO prepared the report on Bangladesh on the basis of a study conducted by its local representative Solidarity Centre Bangladesh, which has no knowledge about the labour rights situation here.
About 177 elected workers’ welfare committees are actively working in the EPZs of Bangladesh, she said, adding that the association is also not aware of any incidents of repression on workers in the industry.
Labour leaders Salahuddin Shawpan, Selina Ahmed Tania, Jahanara Begaum, M Delwar Hossain, Sahidullah Badal, Sultana Khan, Rokya Sultana Anju and Md. Nurul Islam were present at the press conference among others.
Besides, Garments Tailors Workers League in a press statement yesterday also demanded continuation of the GSP facilities.
Comments: Just a phone call, am I asking too much?
Thanks
Kawser Jamal
July 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Bangladesh to keep enjoying GSP facilities in US
Foreign adviser says
Unb,Dhaka
Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday said Bangladesh would “continue to enjoy the GSP facilities as before” in the United States.
The adviser said the news came to him as the US authorities informed the Bangladesh mission in Washington about the latest decision.
“For now, I can say that the continuation of GSP facilities is a good news for Bangladesh,” the adviser told reporters at the ministry. “We will continue to work diplomatically with our American friends for further extension.”
“In the meantime, we should emphasised workers’ overall welfare, which will also improve our market access,” the adviser said.
At the same time, he said, a review process initiated by a petition from AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations) in the US would be extended by another year. The federation is responsible to oversee if Bangladesh ensures rights of the labourers, especially who work in the country’s specialised export processing zones.
The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) is designed to promote economic growth in developing nations by giving preferential duty-free entry of their products to the US market.
Bangladesh gets duty-free access to the US market on certain export items, including garment products, under the facilities.
The US had earlier put conditions that Bangladesh would not get GSP facilities anymore if the government does not ensure workers’ freedom of association or the right to collective bargaining in its EPZs.
July 5th, 2008 at 7:13 am
i don’t understand this, as for my first hand knowledge from the industry,Bangladesh garments does not get GSP from USA.
Can some one elaborate please. how much is the tax deduction for GSP??
Apparenlty, when we export to US, there is not deduction on tax.
What this is about ??