EU envoy Stefan Frowein on Thursday expressed concern about the delay in implementing the new minimum wage for garment workers.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh, Frowein said, “I am concerned about the four month delay.”
Terming the delay ‘unfortunate’, he said, “The Eid is almost around the corner and prices during the Ramadan typically shoot. The RMG workers need the money now.”
The EU is the biggest export destination of Bangladesh, accounting for over half of Bangladesh’s exports.
Moreover, apparels are the main export items to the European Union accounting for almost 90 percent of the total export to that region.
Frowein also noted that the new minimum wage is “still not much” but better than the previous wage floor.
Speaking about shrimp export to the EU, Frowein said, “For food products, safety compliances have to be 100 percent as the union is very strict about health.”
Stefan Frowein, who has been a key spokesperson for the EU community during the period of military installed caretaker government said, “The parliament is still suffering from confrontational politics.”
“The parliament is not fully dysfunctional as the committees are being formed and are working to some extent.”
Mentioning that the political culture has not changed much he said, “But the opposition is not participating in the sessions and opposing everything.”
He added that the progress made over the years was ‘very small’.
The EU envoy said that they were observing the war crimes trial closely and hope that international standards will be maintained in the proceedings.
Frowein said that the war crimes trial is an internal matter for any country and as EU stands against the death penalty it would remain passive about the process.
