Action against rights groups sought for tarnishing image of RMG industry

FE Report | Published: June 24, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Apparel sector leaders sought government's necessary actions Monday against the rights groups that are engaged in tarnishing the image of the country's garment industry abroad.
"We want government's necessary action against labour rights groups that have lodged complaints to different international organisations bypassing the government and other local stakeholders," President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Md Atiqul Islam said.
He was speaking at the BGMEA-BUFT Journalism Fellowship-2014 Award ceremony at the BGMEA's headquarters in the city while Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique were present as chief and special guests respectively.
The BGMEA president handed over a copy of such complaint made by National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) using logos of NGWF and IndustriAll.
He said IndustriAll Bangladesh Council has to take the responsibility of such activity as one of its affiliate has made the complaint using its logo.
"If there is such incident of workers' oppression in garment factories, first they should lodge complaints with the local authorities concerned," he said adding but some labour leaders are involved in conspiracy against the industry.
On Sunday, the Commerce Minister at a brifing alleged that some labour leaders and an organisation namely IndustriAll have lodged complaints with the US authority that Bangladesh garment workers are oppressed.
During the Monday's event, the minister said NGWF president Amirul Haque Amin made the compliant using the official page of IndustriAll.
However, General Secretary of IndustriAll Bangladesh Council reiterated that no such complaint has been lodged by the organisation.
"IBC didn't write any such letter to any authority," he said adding if any letter was sent, there was signature of either the president or the general secretary.
When asked abut the NGWF, he said he is yet to see the copy of the letter.
The BGMEA and BUFT are jointly offering the fellowship to six journalists for making reports on the country's readymade garment industry.