The visiting US Trade Representative delegation On Monday hold a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and discuss the bilateral trade policy and the labor action plan provided by the US government.

The BGMEA in the meeting sought support and collaboration of the US government to ensure fair minimum price of apparel and a unified code of conduct for social audits.

The apparel trade body also urged the US government to reinstate GSP in favour of Bangladesh and include garment items in its GSP programme, according to a BGMEA press release.

At the meeting with the BGMEA leaders at the headquarters of the trade body in the capital Dhaka, the USTR team also discussed the required changes in Bangladesh Labour Act to ease the trade union registration process and to address the unfair labour practices, the meeting sources said.

The USTR delegation on Sunday handed over an 11-point ‘Bangladesh Labour Action Plan’ to commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and urged the government to implement it in order to avail duty-free benefits and access to funds of the US International Development Finance Corporation.

The BGMEA in a press release said that the USTR delegates appreciated the progresses Bangladesh made in the past few areas in the labour sector and discussed areas where further improvements were required, including amendments to the BLA.

The US delegation led by the assistant USTR for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch also discussed bilateral trade and policies, including workers’ rights, wellbeing and market access matters.

The BGMEA side was headed by its president SM Mannan Kochi and included senior vice-president Khandoker Rafiqul Islam and vice-presidents Md Nasir Uddin and Abdullah Hil Rakib.

During the discussion, the BGMEA president shared updates on the progress made by the readymade garment industry regarding workplace safety, workers’ rights and the ongoing labour law reforms in Bangladesh.

He reiterated the commitment and the ongoing efforts of the government of Bangladesh and of the industry to make further progress in workers’ rights and welfare issues.

BGMEA directors Asif Ashraf, Shovon Islam, Mohammad Sohel Sadat, Md Ashikur Rahman Tuhin, Shams Mahmud, Nusrat Bari Asha, and Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on ILO and Labour Affairs ANM Saifuddin were also attended the meeting.