BGMEA incumbents fail to deal with labour unrest

Forum, a panel of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) members, said that the apparel apex body’s incumbent board failed to deal with labour unrest.

It said BGMEA also failed to convince the interim government about the current state of the garments sector to resolve its problems.

The Forum leaders made the remarks at a discussion of BGMEA members at Golf Garden in Dhaka on Saturday.

They expressed concerns that a group was out to destroy the country’s readymade garments (RMG) industry.

They said foreign buyers threatened to cut orders while the BGMEA board leaders were still not presenting the real situation to the interim government.

According to them, the BGMEA is not taking any initiative to bring the buyers’ confidence back.

Speaking at the event, Nexus Group Managing Director Abdur Rashid Hossaini said, “There has been turmoil in the garment industry before. The demonstration did not continue so long like this year. Someone may have a motive behind it.”

“Those who are engaged in protecting the interests of the neighbouring country are the ones who want to destroy the country’s economy creating anarchy in the garment industry.”

Mentioning the closure of over 25 factories in the Ashulia region, BGMEA’s former senior vice-president Faisal Samad urged the incumbent BGMEA board to deal with the ongoing crisis effectively.

He proposed forming a high-powered taskforce to resolve the factories’ problems quickly, including bank loans.

Samad said a study might be conducted on increasing production costs of the RMG sector, and BGMEA members might formulate separate policies by categorising factories based on export capacity.

Expressing concerns, he said, “If proper steps are not taken now, the buyers may move from Bangladesh to other countries.”

Managing Director of Rising Apparels Ltd Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu said, “What is happening in Ashulia at the moment is not a labour law issue, it is a law and order issue.”

“Army has been given magisterial power, but it is not being used. Law and order enforcement agencies are not performing effectively,” he alleged.

Managing Director of Motex Fashion M Masud Kabir also expressed fear that their factories are at risk and not secured.

Former BGMEA president Dr. Rubana Huq urged the interim government to sit with workers to resolve problems.

“We want to do business peacefully. Our 25% exports may decline. However, we should utilise the reputation of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to increase our product prices,” she said.

Former BGMEA president Anisur Rahman Sinha underscored the need for the government’s support to resolve issues in the garment industry.

“Long and short term plans are needed to resolve the RMG industry’s problems. BGMEA is a very important organisation. But we have yet to present the real picture of our industry to international buyers,” he said.

Sinha also expects the government to work more to resolve the garment industry’s crisis.