Still much work remains to be done in BD RMG sector

Bangladesh has so far made a significant progress in improving overall working conditions in the country's readymade garment (RMG) sector, but still much work remains to be done, said Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cruden on Monday.

Terming the sector vital for the country, the High Commissioner said, the sector is now safer than it was one year ago. She said her country wants to see the sector growing properly and continuing to provide jobs, but not at the expense of workers' lives.

"After Rana Plaza, Canadian consumers will not accept clothes made in dangerous conditions," warned the High Commissioner while addressing a talk-show organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association in Bangladesh (DCAB).

"If Bangladesh's garment sector continues to improve working and safety conditions, then it can survive. Otherwise, it will wither," she added.

The High Commissioner, however, said the Canadian companies are continuing to source clothes from Bangladesh and supporting reform efforts through retailer groups -- Alliance and Accord. "They are helping to ensure factories' safety," said the envoy at the DCAB talk held at the National Press Club.

The talk show was also addressed by DCAB president Mainul Alam and general secretary Angur Nahar Monty.

Heather Cruden, who came to Bangladesh about three years ago as the High Commissioner, also talked about the country's politics, trade, development and bilateral issues between the two countries. About the country's political situation, Cruden hoped a political understanding will be reached soon through a dialogue among major political parties.

She hoped violence that has ceased after the January 5 elections bringing in relief would not come back again with the call for movement.

 "We all hope that violence won't start again," she said adding that they will continue to hope the movement will not see violence as violence is not good for Bangladesh and its people.

She hoped that major political parties in Bangladesh would engage in a genuine dialogue to reach an agreement on a process for the next set of elections that Bangladeshis will consider credible. She laid emphasis on building trust between the two political parties to see a shift in 'political culture'.

She said in a democracy there should be space for protest but that should be 'peaceful'.

 "I stress peace," she said, adding that violence is 'not good' for Bangladesh and its people.

She said Canada has continued to call for dialogue and still hoped that two parties would sit at some point and talk to each other.

She said she observed that every time in the electoral process 'Bangladesh's GDP suffers, people get hurt, some people die, and people can't go to work'. "We need to end the cycle," she said.

She said both the parties need to work together to strengthen governance and legitimacy of the democratic process.

When asked about her comment on the newly-approved Broadcast Policy 2014, the Canadian High Commissioner said they would continue to watch very closely the Broadcast Policy 2014 and its possible implications as Canada strongly believes in the freedom of media.

Cruden, however, said she has not yet seen the approved English version of the policy and is relying 'very much' on newspaper reports to understand what the possible implications can be.

She also emphasised on ensuring rules of law and good governance in all levels for further development of the country. Bangladesh is one of the countries receiving maximum Canadian development assistance in the last four decades.

Canada provided development assistance worth over 4.0 billion Canadian dollars to Bangladesh from 1972, she added.

She also said Canada wants to work with Bangladesh in its endeavour to be a middle-income country by 2021. "It's in everybody's interest".

To help develop the country's trade and economy, Canada allows quota-and duty-free access to almost all Bangladeshi products (except three) to its market since 2003, said the senior diplomat adding that trade between the two countries also witnessed a significant increase which is heavily tilted to Bangladesh.

"The bilateral trade between Canada and Bangladesh reached more than $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2012-13 and was in favour of Bangladesh because of the RMG export to Canada and is growing," said Cruden.

Canadian exports to Bangladesh were worth $ 613 million and Bangladesh's exports $1.09 billion.

She said if Bangladesh wants its export growth towards the right direction it must work for diversification of goods.

"Canada is working to help develop Bangladesh's trade capacity, trade facilitation and diversification area."

Terming investment by Canada in Bangladesh not that big, the High Commissioner, however, said they are contemplating to invest in manufacturing sector especially in pharmaceutical and information technology sectors.

"But investment depends on many things including good governance and rule of law which have to be ensured," she reiterated.