USTR team to review RMG compliance

Michael J Delaney, assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), will lead a delegation to Bangladesh from September 19 to 23.

It will review progress made so far in Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) sector transformation process.

He will be accompanied by Michael O'Donovan, director for labour affairs at the USTR office; Bruce Levine, office director, democracy, human rights and labour (DRL), the US state department; and Jennifer Goodyear, international relations officer, International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB), US labour department.

During their visit, the delegation will meet with government officials, employers, workers, trade unions, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Alliance on Bangladesh Worker Safety, the Accord for Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, and other organisations, according to US embassy in Dhaka.

They also plan to travel to Chittagong to visit the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority, representatives from the shrimp processing sector, and other local organisations.

The delegation seeks to learn more regarding the efforts by the government of Bangladesh and other Bangladeshi actors in support of the Sustainability Compact and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) action plan.

The team will assess progress made and areas for future progress to help ensure a successful Sustainability Compact review meeting in Dhaka in November with the European Union, the ILO, the United States, and the government of Bangladesh.