Garment sector and Bangladesh's future

　　The readymade garments (RMG) sector has been a boon for Bangladesh. It is the mainstay behind our sustained 6 per cent plus GDP (gross domestic product) growth over the years. It has provided millions of jobs both within the industry and those connected with backward linkage. However, the industry's success has come at a cost, which we as a nation and the world as a whole are no longer willing to pay. The cost has been in working conditions and pay. Here also much progress has been made but certainly not enough as was most tragically demonstrated in the death of 111 workers at the Tazreen Fashion factory.

　　Now Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has announced that they will de-register 850 factories for non-compliance -- 600 this month and the rest in February. The point we would like to make here is that a similar move was taken in 2002 when 550 factories were thrown out of the trade body, and yet several tragedies occurred over the last 10 years, the worst of which was Tazreen factory fatalities. This clearly shows that the step was not effective. So what guarantee is there that it will be so this time around? There is also the fact that subcontractors do not fall under the direct scrutiny of BGMEA and their factory conditions remain unmonitored.

　　We would like to clearly state that the deaths of 111 workers has created tremendous sorrow and revulsion among the people of Bangladesh and the world over. Global focus is on us. Both our international buyers and consumers are watching us as to what serious steps we take. Why can't we get into our heads that because of a few delinquents the whole RMG sector is getting a bad name and as such running the risk of losing markets? The present state of workers' safety is far from adequate and management practices in some cases are medieval. Restoring the image and status of our RMG sector should now be considered an urgent national task. The government, the RMG leaders, representatives of RMG workers and all others concerned must urgently put their heads together. No stop-gap measure is likely to work. Prospect of our faster growth depends on it, so does the possibility of employments of millions of additional workers.

　　We are not sure if adequate attention is being given to the matter.