The government of Bangladesh is contemplating putting the shrimp industry under the watch of International Labour Organisation (ILO) to ensure labour rights and avoid allegations sometimes raised by shrimp importing western countries.
“We have sought stakeholders’ opinion after being advised by the commerce ministry to put the shrimp industry under ILO’s watch. If the labour rights issues are monitored by the ILO, the US or European states won’t raise any question to offer any facilities,” joint secretary of ministry of fisheries Shamsul Kibria told the FE.
Bangladesh on January 24 last, for the third time, attended a hearing at the office of the United States Trade Representatives (USTR), as the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) earlier filed a petition at the USTR office alleging that labourers in the apparel and frozen food sector are not allowed trade union and child labours are working there.
The breach of labour rights in the two sectors, if proved, may cause discontinuation of the generalised system of preference (GSP) facilities Bangladesh enjoys in the US market.
The first hearing was held in October 2007 followed by the second one in April 2009. Since then the GSP facilities have been kept on review. Until any development regarding existence of child labour and labour rights is visible, Bangladesh won’t be put out of review.
Mr Kibria said after returning from the hearing at the USTR, commerce secretary M Ghulam Hossain, the leader of the delegation, has asked to put the shrimp sector under the watch of the ILO.
“We have already taken various steps to ensure labour rights and eliminate child labour from the industry. But due to propaganda from various quarters we still couldn’t come out GSP review,” he said.
Since the ILO is a specialised UN organisation of the United Nations (UN) which works to promote jobs and oversees international labour standards, a monitoring report regarding labour issues from it will get more importance to the western nations, Mr Kibria said.
Besides, the industry owners will also be more cautious on labour issues if ILO keeps an eye on them, he noted.
Bangladesh exports one-fifth of its total frozen food, mainly shrimp, to the USA. In 2010-11 fiscal year total export of shrimp was $477.83, including $81.52 milli to the USA.
Some 3.5 million people are directly or indirectly involved in the frozen food sector.
The sector leaders have welcomed the government’s move to put it under the ILO’s watch.
S Humayun Kabir, director of the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) told the FE that presently the relations between the owners and the workers of the sector were up to the ILO standard.
“Putting the sector under the ILO’s watch will be better for it. Besides, the ILO’s monitoring report will be more credible,” he said.
The Financial Express 2009