The United States (US) delegation’s visit to Bangladesh to demonstrate support for the country’s economy, democracy, and workers ended on Tuesday.
The delegation was led by State Department Special Representative Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez and Department of Labor Deputy Undersecretary Thea Lee.
Representatives from USAID, senior leadership from major American brands associated with the American Apparel and Footwear Association, and esteemed international labor experts UNI Global Union’s General Secretary Christy Hoffman and Worker Rights Consortium Executive Director Scott Nova joined the delegation, according to a statement.
Participating American brands – Gap Inc., PVH Corp., and VF Corporation – collectively purchase approximately $1.8 billion dollars annually from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector, it reads.
At this unique moment for democracy and governance in Bangladesh, resolving longstanding challenges to the exercise of labor rights will be critical to ensuring national economic prosperity.
The statement termed worker empowerment is essential to sustainable and inclusive economic growth, respect for human rights, democratic resilience, and gender equity and inclusion.
The US also recognizes that the well-being of workers in the global economy is a shared responsibility for governments, buyers, employers, regulators, as well as labor unions.
This includes ensuring good, safe working conditions where workers’ rights and dignity are respected and improving labor rights, particularly on freedom of association and collective bargaining in the RMG sector.
The US also welcomes Chief Advisor Yunus’s assurances that labor reforms are a top priority of the Interim Government.
We support Bangladesh further strengthening the right of workers to form and join independent trade unions, and to collectively bargain for better working conditions, reads the statement.
Expressing the US commitment to working with Bangladesh, the statement reads, “The United States is committed to working with Bangladesh to ensure that industry practices support stable employment, quality working conditions, and living wages that allow Bangladeshi workers and their families to thrive”.
According to the statement, the United States values its partnership with Bangladesh, spanning more than 50 years.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support the people of Bangladesh at this historic moment, and for the chance to join here together in Dhaka to affirm our shared commitment to independent, democratic trade unions, for Bangladeshi workers and the businesses that employ them”, it furhter read.
