Canada joins ‘sustainability compact’ for Bangladesh garments overhaul

Canada has joined the collective effort of the Bangladesh government, EU, ILO and the US to improve factory safety and workers’ rights under the ‘sustainability compact’.

Benoit-Pierre Laramee, the Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, announced the joining on Wednesday as the second follow-up meeting of the Compact package began in Dhaka.

Laramee said in a statement that they joined this initiative as Canadians wanted to be assured that the Bangladeshi clothes they wear were made “in fair and safe working environments”.

The government, the EU, the ILO and the US rolled out the ‘sustainability compact’ action plan in July 2013 after the worst-ever factory disaster -- the Rana Plaza building collapse -- that killed over 1,100 people.

Though Canada was not part of the Compact, it has been engaged with the ready-made garment sector reform since the disaster.

It earlier committed CAD $8 million in support to the joint Bangladesh government and the ILO project styled “improving working conditions in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh”.

Meanwhile, Assistant US Trade Representative for South & Central Asia Michael Delaney has arrived in Dhaka with his team to join the sustainable compact review meeting.

After the Rana Plaza collapse, the US revoked the GSP privilege that some of Bangladesh’s products -- not counting garments -- were enjoying in its market.

It also rolled out a separate action plan for improving factory safety and workers' rights.

The US embassy said the visiting delegation, apart from joining the Compact meeting, would take stock of the progress achieved and look into the future next steps.