US tariff: 2 garment workers' unions announce protest
Two garment workers' federations — National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) and United Garment Workers Federation (AGWF) — have announced a protest programme in response to the United States' recent decision to increase tariffs on Bangladeshi garment exports by 100%.
The federations will organise a human chain and submit a memorandum to the US Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday at 11am.
The protest is aimed at condemning what the unions described as an "unjust and discriminatory" move that will severely impact Bangladesh's economy, its export earnings, and especially the country's garment workforce.
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The protest follows a new directive issued by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who included Bangladesh among three countries facing the heightened tariff rate on apparel exports. The unions argue that this decision unfairly targets Bangladesh, even though the country already faces higher tariffs in the US market compared to many others.
"The US has imposed this 100% tariff hike despite Bangladesh being one of the most compliant garment-exporting countries. This will jeopardise the livelihoods of over 3.5 million female garment workers," NGWF President Amirul Haque Amin said in a joint statement.
Currently, around 84% of Bangladesh's total exports are garments, and a significant portion of these go to the US market. Union leaders expressed concern that the new tariff regime will hurt not only trade but also the country's progress in women's empowerment, economic development, and poverty reduction.
"The decision contradicts the values of women's freedom and economic justice that the US itself promotes," said Kamrun Nahar, president of AGWF.
The federations urged national and international media, rights organizations, and labour activists to stand in solidarity and amplify the voices of Bangladesh's garment workers.
