Bangladesh will have to improve its conditions in areas such as human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance in order to obtain the GSP Plus status to the European Union, an expert said yesterday.As per the plan of the government, Bangladesh will graduate to a middle-income country from the least developed country by the end of 2021. After the graduation, the country may not enjoy the zero-duty benefit under the EU’s everything but arms (EBA).However, the EU will provide the same trade benefit post-graduation under the GSP Plus scheme, but Bangladesh will have to upgrade conditions in four areas“There have been reported violations of the universal right to life, liberty and security of person and the right to be free from arbitrary arrest in the Bangladeshi criminal justice system,” said Willem van der Geest, senior adviser for macroeconomic policy of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.Geest spoke at a workshop on ‘mid-term evaluation of the EU’s generalised scheme of preferences (GSP)’ at the Le Meredien Hotel in Dhaka.The Development Solutions Europe Ltd organised the workshop where diplomats, businesspeople, trade union leaders, civil society members and trade analysts attended. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed spoke as the chief guest. “There have been reported violations of the right to freedom of expression, including the right to seek and impart information. Human rights organisations have raised concerns about state-censorship and the constrained media environment,” Geest said.The EU is the largest export destination for Bangladesh. Of the total exports, more than 60 percent or $18 billion are destined to the EU in a year.The EU is currently taking opinions from different stakeholders as the European Commission will revise the GSP status for beneficiary countries.Geest said Bangladesh will also have to ratify all 27 UN Conventions for achieving the GSP Plus status, once Bangladesh is graduated from the LDC.So far, Bangladesh signed or ratified 25 international conventions.On human rights, Geest said there have been reported gender-based violations.“Women experience a large share of deprivation and are disadvantaged in multiple aspects of life, including access to health services, economic opportunity, political participation and control finances.”He said Bangladesh has signed the major international human rights treaties and conventions, proclaiming human rights inalienable, universal and fundamental, to which a person is inherently entitled.On environment, Geest said the carbon emissions are increasing and the per capita carbon emissions have more than doubled in the last two decades.As the third largest garment manufacturer and exporter in the world, the garment industry has a significant negative impact on the environment in Bangladesh. For example, in Narayanganj city alone, 120 to 125 tonnes of industrial waste is generated a day.Geest said workplace safety conditions in garment factories are problematic. However, improvements have been made by the Bangladeshi government and producers after the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013.The right to association is not fully guaranteed in Bangladesh, but the country is making promising development in the right direction, he said.Speaking at the event, Tofail Ahmed said Bangladesh has been improving the workplace safety and improving the labour rights since the Rana Plaza building collapse. Among top the 10 green factories in the world, seven are in Bangladesh, he said.The minister said Bangladesh is hopeful that the EU will also award the country the GSP Plus status after 2021 as the government has been working to improve the human rights, labour rights, good governance and protection of environment.EU Ambassador in Dhaka Pierre Mayaudon said the EBA scheme will continue to be the engine of growth for Bangladesh.Among the 49 LDCs, Bangladesh is ready to take the next possible advantage, meant the GSP Plus of the EU, he said.Mayaudon said the EBA scheme has lifted millions of women out of poverty in Bangladesh. “But, we can’t deny that the EBA has also benefited the EU. The brands, of course, have taken the full advantage of the EBA and 500 million consumers in the EU have also benefited from the scheme.”Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of Centre for Policy Dialogue, said the graduation period might take some more years as per the estimate of some international agencies.He said Bangladesh might graduate to a middle income country in 2024, and as per the rules the country will be given another three years for preparation.“So, it is estimated that Bangladesh will graduate to a middle income country at the end of 2027. So, up to 2027, Bangladesh will be enjoying the GSP under the EU’s EBA.”
