DT e-Paper 29 March 2017
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<strong>DT</strong><br />
12<br />
Editorial<br />
WEDNESDAY, MARCH <strong>29</strong>, <strong>2017</strong><br />
TODAY<br />
Brexit through the<br />
looking glass<br />
Interrelationships and mutual selfinterest<br />
between the EU and UK are too<br />
large and run too deep for common sense<br />
to be kept at bay for much longer<br />
PAGE 13<br />
Demystifying<br />
transfer pricing<br />
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU<br />
Given that transfer pricing is a new<br />
subject for the Bangladesh tax<br />
authorities, our tax department may<br />
consider investing time in the skills<br />
development of the officers<br />
PAGE 14<br />
Work in progress<br />
Keeping up with the<br />
Modi wave<br />
This is the genesis of the famous<br />
and much talked about Modi wave,<br />
comprising explicit development and<br />
implicit Hindutva<br />
PAGE 15<br />
Be heard<br />
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DhakaTribune.<br />
The views expressed in opinion<br />
articles are those of the authors<br />
alone and they are not the<br />
official view of Dhaka Tribune<br />
or its publisher.<br />
When it comes to labour rights, Bangladesh has come a<br />
long way.<br />
There is no doubt that the Rana Plaza incident was one<br />
of the worst industrial accidents in history, and that it<br />
exposed many flaws within our industries, especially our RMG sector.<br />
But, since then, industry stake-holders have worked tirelessly to<br />
improve working conditions.<br />
Which is why the EU’s threats of excluding Bangladesh from the<br />
Generalised System of Preferences based on the current conditions of<br />
our labour rights is unwarranted and completely unnecessary.<br />
With Bangladesh currently enjoying duty-free access to the EU<br />
under the Everything But Arms (EBA) preference tariff scheme, losing<br />
this would be an immeasurable blow to the Bangladeshi economy.<br />
Expelling Bangladesh from the GSP would translate to a 12% tariff<br />
on exports to the EU.<br />
To remain competitive in the global market, it’s crucial that<br />
Bangladesh keeps its prices low.<br />
Bangladesh and its government understand that labour rights<br />
are important. In light of the recent Ashulia protests, there is no<br />
denying that much still needs to be done, with workers’ wages still<br />
a particularly contentious issue that we have yet to find a workable<br />
solution to.<br />
But it is not up to the EU to govern the way we do business. Such an<br />
attitude goes against the very nature of free trade.<br />
We understand that the recent delegation from the EU seeks<br />
uniform labour standards in the country, but that shouldn’t mean that<br />
Bangladesh be threatened into submission.<br />
Labour rights are a work in progress, as it has been in every country,<br />
and the Bangladeshi government has been moving to ensure the<br />
continued development of the nation, labour rights included.<br />
With over 60% of our garment exports going to the EU, this is not a<br />
market where Bangladesh can afford to lose its current position.<br />
Instead, the EU would do well to work patiently and constructively<br />
with stake-holders to ensure that worker rights are protected. After all,<br />
working together is the only way we will see any real progress.<br />
The Bangladesh<br />
economy has been<br />
moving at breakneck<br />
speed to ensure<br />
the continued<br />
development of the<br />
nation, labour rights<br />
included