Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi stressed that the US efforts to sanction Bangladesh’s apparel exports would prove to be unsuccessful.
Politics and business are dissimilar spheres. The US or European countries will not do anything that will put the Bangladesh apparel sector at risk,” Munshi said while addressing the press.
Earlier in November, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also expressed that there would be no trouble even if the US plans to impose sanctions on Bangladesh.
In a letter to the Commerce Ministry, the Bangladesh embassy in the US mentioned that a newly introduced US policy on labor rights should be alarming for Bangladesh.
“Remedial measures should be undertaken on a priority basis by all industry stakeholders so that exports of the garment to Bangladesh’s biggest export market are not impacted, “the letter added.
In November, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken initiated a new policy, the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally.
“Those who attack, threaten or intimidate union leaders or labor rights defenders will be held accountable,” Blinken had said when announcing the new policy.
Blinken had added that among the steps the US would take are sanctions, trade penalties, or visa restrictions
This new policy was announced when Bangladesh was undergoing a violent protest by Bangladeshi clothing industry workers seeking higher minimum wages, considering the high inflationary trends.
