European Commission officials have expressed "serious frustration and concern" over Bangladesh's roadmap to address labour rights issues in order to retain zero-tariff facility on all products except arms, the Brussels embassy told the foreign and labour ministries.

The officials feel that the Bangladesh government in its roadmap showed a lack of commitment to implement actions suggested by the European Union to eliminate child labour by ensuring 100% primary school enrolment and improving the standard of primary education and schools, according to officials of the labour ministry.

The EU thinks elimination of child labour will not be possible unless 100% enrolment and quality education are ensured at the primary level.

Nonetheless, whether Bangladesh will continue to enjoy duty-free access to its largest export destination after the expiry of the existing Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative in 2023 depends on the roadmap prepared by the government to implement the EU's 9-point action plan on improving the labour situation here.

In a virtual meeting with Mahbub Hasan Saleh, Bangladesh ambassador to Brussels, on 25 February this year, Jordi Curell, European Commission's directorate general for employment, social affairs and inclusion (DG-Employment), expressed frustration and concern over the roadmap submitted by Bangladesh.

The meeting was joined by Buenker Benedikt, policy officer of the European Commission; Luis Prats, head of unit, International Issues, at the European Commission; and Md Safiul Azam, commercial counsellor of Bangladesh in Brussels.

In an email sent to the foreign affairs and labour ministries on 28 February, Md Safiul Azam said, "While discussing on the roadmap, Curell inter alia stressed upon three issues in particular: reformation of the EPZ Act in alignment with the ILO Convention/labour standard, eradication of all forms of child labour and education."

During the course of discussion, Jordi Curell expressed his frustration over the issues of education – one of the components of the roadmap – having construed it being no longer a priority for Bangladesh, he added.

With the fast approaching expiry of the existing EBA initiative, the EU – the destination of $18.7 billion or more than a half of the country's total exports – is reviewing Bangladesh's labour standards and human rights situation to include the country in the next phase.

The EU had provided the government with the action plan in the last week of November 2019.

A year later, in November 2020, Bangladesh submitted a roadmap for the implementation of the 9-point action plan provided by the EU that include amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act and the EPZ Labour Act, elimination of child labour in all sectors, and settlement of cases pending with labour courts.

Government's commitment under question

Officials at the labour ministry said the EU in its action plan on the elimination of child labour included a point – "School Participation and Quality of Schools" – and asked the Bangladesh government to prepare a roadmap to ensure 100% primary school enrolment of children as well as enhance the quality of primary education and schools.

The government in its roadmap effectively skipped this point by talking about various ongoing programmes in primary education and this left the European Commission officials dissatisfied, according to the ministry officials.

In the wake of the EU's frustration, the Bangladesh Embassy in Brussels has recommended devising a formula through the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to ensure School Participation and Quality of Schools in accordance with the 9-point action plan of the EU.

Labour Secretary Abdus Salam said, "The EU has asked us to eradicate child labour. We shall do that.

"But they say only the eradication of child labour is not enough and that we need to make sure 100% of children are admitted to primary schools as well as that we ensure quality education and quality schools for them."

In his email, commercial counsellor Azam also wrote, "Given the serious frustration and concerns of director Jordi Curell and the office of DG Employment over the issue of education as a component of the 9-point action plan, and particularly af