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US child labour bill threatens garments industry
Country's garment industry faces a serious threat as the United States is poised to make a law prohibiting import of goods produced abroad using child labour.
A bill, titled "Child Labour Deterrence Act-1992", introduced tn the US Congress by Senator Tom Harkin and some other Senators in August, is most likely to be enacted in the next session of American parliament early next year.
Highly placed official sources told UNB that the
Bangladesh Embassy tn Washington had recently informed the government of the forthcoming US law as well as its dire consequences on the country's garment sector substantially manned by child labourers.
. Most worrisome facet of the proposed act. sources said, is a provision that will force the US government to start a campaign to encourage it's trade partners to enforce an international ban on Import of commodities produced by
child workers aged under 15.
The bill notes that children constitute 11 per ceht of the workforce in many an ■ Aslan countries.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington cautioned country's garment sector might fall victim of the proposed legal restrictions as allegations have been made time to time by several quarters tn United States about child labour In Bangladesh, particularly in garment industry.
In 1991. AFL-CIO. an
American trade union, petitioned the US government for suspending Bangladesh's eligibility for American GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) on the ground of use of child labour. The trade unlion hammered on "deplorable" child labour situation in Bangladesh's garment sector.
Many human rights groups in USA have also vented con .cerns about the employment of children In Bangladesh garment sector.
Garments now fetch about 1200 million US dollars a year and 52 per cent of the exports go to US market alone.
Sources said Ambassador Abul Ahsan, Bangladesh envoy to USA, tn a letter to key government officials, has cautioned these trade unions and human rights groups might step up their campaign for ban on import of Bangladesh garments soon after the law Is enacted.
Ahsan suggested the authorities in Dhaka should take ur
gent steps to remove child labour from ex port-oriented industries.
He recommended rules might be framed Immediately barring those garment exporters and manufacturers employing child labour from entitlement to US textile and apparel quotas.
Meanwhile, sources, quoting despatches by Bangladesh Embassy In Washington, said US buyers had started feeling shaky about Bangladesh gar
merits as the new law awaits passa^?.
Several leading US companies arc learnt to have been working on contingency plans to obtain supplies from other sources. Tearing that Bangladesh may be a victim of the proposed law.
"Levies', a giant US company, was about to expand their procurement from Bangladesh, but tn view of the latest situation, it is reportedly reconsidering the decision. Similar to the case with Wal-Mart. the largest US retailer.
After passage of the proposed law. the US government may undertake periodic review to identity foreign industries using child labour and may close the US market to those units.