Speakers at a seminar said that if Western countries imposed all sanctions on Bangladesh, it would be more for political reasons rather than related to labor issues.
“The labor issue has not reached a point where sanctions can be imposed. If at all they are imposed, it would be for politically related interests and not due to labor rights,” Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said at a seminar.
“The current political situation should be resolved and negotiated diplomatically. The garment factory owners or workers cannot do anything about this,” he added.
“The countries that talk about sanctions have ratified only two of the core International Labour Organisation (ILO) norms, while Bangladesh has ratified eight,” Amirul Haque Amin, President of the National Garment Workers Federation, said.
“So how can sanctions be imposed by countries who have ratified just two core norms against a country that has ratified eight norms? If sanctions are imposed, it will not be democratic, but rather it will be due to another agenda,” Amin added.
“Bangladesh has improved fundamental labor rights continuously in the last few years, and so we have no reason to be afraid. The labor situation is not so grave for sanctions to be imposed,” Amin stated.
The main concern of the Bangladeshi garment exporters is a new US labor policy announced on November 16.
