WASHINGTON: The United States withdrew key trade privileges from Bangladesh Thursday, citing dangerous conditions for workers in the wake of a factory building collapse that killed over 1,100 people.
An order by President Barack Obama removed Bangladesh's duty-free trade privileges under the "GSP" program, increasing pressure on Dhaka to boost workplace safety after a series of disasters in the country's huge garment industry.
"I have determined... that it is appropriate to suspend Bangladesh's designation as a GSP beneficiary developing country because it has not taken or is not taking steps to afford internationally recognized worker rights to workers in the country," Obama said in the order.
The move means importers of many Bangladesh products will have to pay duties on them to bring them into the United States, effectively using financial pressure to force producers to improve conditions.
The recent tragedies "have served to highlight some of the serious shortcomings in worker rights and workplace safety standards in Bangladesh," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman in a statement.
"Over the past few years, the US government has worked closely with the government of Bangladesh to encourage the reforms needed to meet those basic standards.
"Despite our close engagement and our clear, repeated expressions of concern, the US government has not seen sufficient progress towards those reforms."
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