U.S. Cotton Purchases Seek Labor Assurances on Uzbek-Bangladeshi Products
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) should release information that ensures that Uzbekistan-sourced cotton is not produced through child and forced labor, the main U.S. and Canadian purchasers of Bangladeshi cotton said Sept. 20 in a letter to the BGMEA. BGMEA plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uzbek government, the letter says. The U.S. and Canadian groups cite reports that indicate Uzbekistan systematically traffics citizens for cotton harvest.
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“This government-sanctioned and government-controlled use of forced labor and child labor violates the labor laws of Uzbekistan and international laws ratified by the Uzbek government, including International Labor Organization Conventions No. 105 on the Abolition of Forced Labour and No. 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour,” reads the letter. “In response, many retail and brand companies have independently implemented policies against the use of Uzbek cotton by their suppliers.”
Brand reputation is a critical part of economic success in the garment industry, the letter says. The U.S. withdrew Generalized System of Preferences status for Bangladesh in June after a series of labor disasters revealed sub-par conditions in the country (see 13071613). The American Apparel & Footwear Association, Canadian Apparel Federation, National Retail Federation, Retail Council of Canada, Retail Industry Leaders Association and U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel endorsed the letter.