CHITTAGONG, Mar 18: The readymade garment sector is passing through a very hard time now as the industry faces a negative propaganda following the incidents of Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen fire, on the one hand, and GSP (generalized system of preferences) postponement by the USA and recent political unrest on the other.
First vice president of the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) Nasiruddin Ahmed Chowdhury said around 3.6 million workers are directly involved in the RMG sector that contributes 80 per cent of the total national foreign exchange earning.
"Incidents like Rana Plaza are not rare in the global arena but the case of Bangladesh witnessed much negative propaganda in the media at home and abroad which has greatly damaged the image of Bangladeshi products in the world," he said adding it was unwelcome and unexpected.
He was addressing a press conference at the BGMEA Chittagong regional office in Khulsi area in the city on Tuesday afternoon on the occasion of its three- day CAFAXPO (Chittagong Apparels Fabrics and Accessories Exposition) beginning from March 20.
BGMEA Chittagong organises the annual exposition of the local product diversification along with the backward linkage of the country specially the new developments in the local textile and accessories so that buyers from around the globe can have an idea of our advancement in the RMG sector. Through this fair the products will get a lot of exposure, Ahmed said.
The three-day CAFAXPO will be held at the CJKS (Chittagong Jila Krira Sangstha) Indoor Stadium in the city from March 20 to 22. The exposition is being organised by the manufacturers and exporters of readymade garment for the last 12 years.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the fair as chief guest while Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and former City Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury will address as special guests. Former Commerce Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and former BGMEA president SM Fazlul Hoque will be present as chief and special guests respectively in the closing ceremony.
President of the BGMEA and Chairman of the management committee of CAFAXPO-2014 Md Atiqul Islam will address the opening ceremony.
In response to a query Ahmed said there is no member of the BGMEA in Chittagong who is not complying with the enhanced wages fixed by the government.
"Those who are alleging that allowances of the workers are being curtailed are not correct. Allowances are being adjusted against their transport, food and other benefits where the workers are enjoying those benefits and not in the cases where they are not getting the benefit.
"It is a government rule and logical. If you don't afford transport of the company you need not pay for it and allowances will not be adjusted in such cases," he said.
He further said that the RMG sector is hit hard as their income has fallen in the local currency against the US Dollar. On the other hand the costs have increased due to enhanced wages of the employees fixed by the government.
The rate of BD Taka against US Dollar has come down to Tk 78 from Tk 82 few years back in the aftermath of BD Taka getting stronger against Dollar.
Leaders of the BGMEA Chittagong Abdul Wahab, Syed Nazrul Islam, Sheikh Sadi, Shabbir Mostafa, Anjan Shekhar Das, former first vice presidents Alhaj Khalilur Rahman, SM Abu Yayyab, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, chief coordinator of CAFAXPO Shaheed Saiful Islam, Emdadul Hoque Chowdhury, Helal Uddin Chowdhury and ANM Saifuddin, BKMEA leader Shawkat Osman and director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahfuzul Hoque Shah were present.
