Bangladesh

Bangladesh seeks 'higher levels' of EU co-operation

Published

12 years ago

April 1, 2014

Bangladesh wants to raise co-operation with the EU and its member states to “higher levels”, says the country’s new foreign minister.

Speaking on 31 March during a visit to Brussels, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali (pictured) also predicted that Bangladesh was “on track” to overtake China as the world’s number one exporter of garments.

The foreign minister was in Brussels to attend an international conference on genocide, organised by Belgium and discuss Bangladesh’s foreign policy priorities.

The EU is by far Bangladesh's biggest export market and Bangladesh's garment industry is worth some $19 billion-a-year, with 60% of clothes going to Europe.

But he does not believe that the Rana Plaza building collapse almost one year ago which killed more than 1,100 people, mostly ready-made garment workers, has undermined confidence in the sector.

“On the contrary,” he said at the start of a two-day visit. “While there has been a slight fall in the rate of growth in the garment industry exports are still growing and we are well on track to becoming the world’s biggest exporter of garments. I am confident we will overtake China in the next few years.”

A recent research paper said that Bangladesh's exports to the EU will fall by 0.18% per year if India, Pakistan and Vietnam enjoy duty-benefit from the EU.

India and Vietnam are in talks to sign free trade agreements (FTAs) with the EU, while Pakistan has been enjoying duty-free benefits for 75 products in the same market since January this year. But the minister pointed out that predictions show Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry expects a 10-15% growth in exports for the current fiscal year ending June, despite the factory safety issue and recent political instability.

The first eight months of the fiscal year saw a "morale- boosting" 16.68% rise to US$16.13bn compared to last year's US$13.83bn. This shows "we are on the right path," said Ali, adding the country is "ready to leapfrog" industry rivals in the garments race.

He also wants to take relations with the EU to a “higher level” and has urged Brussels to support upcoming sectors in Bangladesh such as ship building and “state of the art” pharmaceutical industry.

His comments come in the wake of national elections earlier this year and the recent European Parliament delegation to Bangladesh, led by UK Greens MEP Jean Lambert who said that a democratic and politically stable environment in the country was required “to keep up the continued success in economy and social development”.

Lambert,who led a four-member, cross party team as chair of parliament´s delegation for relations with South Asia, praised Bangladesh’s “remarkable” socio-economic achievement.

The EU said quetioned the credibilty of the elections on 5 January as more than half of the seats returned winners uncontested after main opposition BNP and its allies boycotted it.

But Ali said expressed satisfaction in the election and believes that the risk of political instability in 2014 has diminished in recent weeks, as the Awami League (AL) government has settled into a second term of office. He said the government remains willing to find a compromise with the BNP.

“I should point out that the BNP is taking part in the current local elections in Bangladesh and the political situation is now settling down, albeit with sporadic outbursts of violence which are not unusual in local elections.”

He said the new government would continue to adopt “very much a proactive” stance against terrorism and the threat of radicalization.

Mr Ali retired from active sevice in April 2001 and, in a long career, served as the Bangladesh ambassador to Bhutan (1986-1990), Germany (1992-1995), Nepal (1996) and High Commissioner to the UK (1996-2001). He was appointed foreign minister at the end of last year.

He supports a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in January which calls for the banning of all Bangladesh political parties with links to terrorism, saying “there is a need for all political parties to dissociate themselves” from terrorism.

Ali also stressed his government’s commitment “to uphold democracy, rule of law and good governance”.

He backs calls by the EU for all political parties to engage in dialogue and said the factory safety and workers rights issue was being addressed ahead of first anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse. There are more than 5,000 garment factories in Bangladesh.

The US and EU have both linked Bangladesh’s continued access to trade preferences to making urgent improvements in labour rights and workplace safety.

The EU says, however, it will keep importing clothes from Bangladesh at preferential tariffs despite concerns over worker safety after the factory cave-in in April last year.

The minister stressed that a “massive” inspection programme of garment factories had almost been completed and this will improve the health and safety standards in the industry. He said Bangladesh will enact a new labour law this year and boost the number of factory inspectors from 200 to 800.

“The number of factory inspectors has been considerably increased and there have also been improvements in working conditions for those in these factories,” he declared.

In a wide ranging intervitew, he also addressed the issue of the Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal’s conviction and execution of those found guilty of committing atrocities during the 1971 war of secession with West Pakistan (now Pakistan). There have been fears this may prompt an escalation in social unrest as protesters take to the streets but Ali dismissed such concerns.

His comments come as Bangladesh investigators probing crimes recommended on Monday that the largest Islamic party be banned for alleged involvement in genocide and other offences.

Bangladesh says at least 3 million of its citizens were killed and 200,000 women were raped during the nine-month war against Pakistan in 1971.

Several top leaders of the party have already been tried and convicted of war crimes, and a senior leader has been executed.

So far, Ali said there had been only one execution carried out in connection with the tribunal but he also pointed out that, unlike war crimes tribunals in the past, Bangladesh had introduced an appeals procedure for those found guilty.

He said: “There are quite a few people in the appeals process and I want to stress that we shall continue to pursue those involved in the genocide and defend our hard earned freedom.”

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