A US Congressional delegation on Sunday said Bangladesh deserves duty and quota free access to the American market and suggested to appoint lobbyists to serve Dhaka’s interest better.
The 5-member Congressional delegation led by Jack Kingston, which made a brief visit to Bangladesh on their way to India, came up with the observation during a meeting over a working lunch hosted by Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at state guesthouse Padma.
Meeting sources said the delegation members wanted to know about Bangladesh’s garment sector, particularly workers’ safety and trade union rights.
The delegation members were not available to make any comment about the meeting.
In response, the foreign minister said the government has enacted several laws to ensure safety, security and welfare of the workers. Many laws are also in the offing to ensure the collective bargaining in the garment sector, she added.
On the incidents of fire in RMG factories, Dipu Moni and the Congressmen were in the opinion that the accidents may happen anywhere but it should be properly investigated how it happened, whether there were any lapses from any side and how to minimise the loss of damages.
Briefing reporters at the foreign ministry after the meeting with the Congressmen, she said since it was a brief meeting the government would send relevant papers to the US Congressmen about the government steps to ensure safety and security of the workers.
The congressmen earlier in the morning had a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gono Bhaban and got a positive image of Bangladesh, Dipu Moni claimed.
Source: The Daily Star
