US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, expressed the United States’ commitment to strengthening collaboration with the private sector and various stakeholders in Bangladesh to promote internationally recognized labor rights, particularly in the Readymade Garment (RMG) industry. Speaking at the Bangladesh Cotton Day 2023, Ambassador Haas emphasized the recent minimum wage review in the RMG sector as evidence of the necessity for an objective, inclusive, and evidence-based National Wage Policy. He highlighted the importance of robust labor laws and their effective implementation, considering them crucial for the bilateral relationship, sustainable development, and creating a stable environment for US companies in Bangladesh.
In addressing the RMG sector, Ambassador Haas underscored the US mission’s dedication to achieving sustainable and broadly shared prosperity through enhanced labor standards. Recognizing labor rights as integral to the continued growth of Bangladesh’s RMG sector, he referenced the US Secretary of State’s announcement of a new global labor strategy, emphasizing increased engagement with various stakeholders to promote and protect the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
During the event, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan sought Ambassador Haas’s assistance in conveying the industry’s efforts and concerns to the US administration.
