Dhaka to seek clarity on Kalpona's remarks as quoted by Blinken

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh would seek a clarification on prominent labour rights activist Kalpona Akter's remarks as quoted by US Secretary of State Anthony J Blinken recently.

"We want to know its authenticity. We will seek a clarification," Shahriar told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question on Tuesday, reports UNB.
The State Minister said there is no record with any law enforcement agency of Kalpona being threatened in Bangladesh.

Read: Countries vocal on human rights issues often remain silent on migrant workers’ sufferings: Shahriar

He said the government wants to know where and when Kalpona said she felt threatened in Bangladesh.

"We want to be there for people like Kalpona Atker, a Bangladeshi garment worker and activist, who says that she is alive today because the U.S. embassy advocated on her behalf," said US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken at the rollout of the Presidential Memorandum on "Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally" on November 16.

The State Minister said the US appointed a Labour Attaché in Dhaka about a year ago, which was facilitated by the government. "We have advanced a lot bilaterally."

The United States said they will work to hold accountable those who threaten, intimidate, attack union leaders, labor rights defenders, labor organizations – including using things like sanctions, trade penalties, visa restrictions – using all the tools in their kit.

Read: No more sanctions ahead of national polls, says Shahriar Alam

Shahriar said this was not announced in any bilateral meeting and Secretary Blinken's remarks were not garment industry-specific.

The garment sector has no logical reason to be worried about this as it was announced as part of a global initiative by the US, he said.