Dhaka: The visiting delegation of the European Union (EU) Parliament laid emphasis on workplace safety not only on readymade garments but also all other export oriented sectors to avoid the recurrence of any accident.

They also urged Bangladesh to consider about the status of post middle-income country where the country would not enjoy duty and quota free market access to the EU.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Siddiqur Rahman on Tuesday revealed it at a joint press briefing after having a meeting with the 16-member EU delegation led by Bernd Lange in a Dhaka hotel.

The EU head of delegation in Dhaka Pierre Mayaudon, BGMEA senior vice-president Faruque Hassan, vice-presidents Mahmud Hasan khan and Mohammed Nasir, among others, were present.

Mentioning that Bangladesh is on the right track to be middle income-country, Bernd Lange said: ‘If Bangladesh is graduated to middle-income country, the trade relation with the EU would be changed.’

If the status of Bangladesh LDC is disappearing, Lange said they have to discuss about other provision like GSP Plus.

The GSP plus links with some requirements of 27 international norms on labour rights and environmental issues, he added.

The EU parliament as the representative of 500 million people is responsible for any trade agreement, Lange said trade relation between Bangladesh and EU is important as 60 percent of Bangladesh’s export are destined to the EU.

Terming the delegation a fact finding mission, Lange said they are here to oversee the situation especially the development related to workplace safety and labour rights in garment sector after the Rana Plaza building collapse.

In the meeting, the apparel makers demanded a unified code of conduct to save time and money, saying that it is nothing but wastage of time and money as different buyers have different codes in implementing for social compliance audits.

The meeting also discussed how the ongoing safety initiatives would continue after 2018 when the tenure of Accord and Alliance would expire.

The BGMEA leaders told the delegation about the measures including the fund for workers taken for the well-being of workers in the RMG sector.