A separate ministry for RMG sector
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Amirul Islam
The problems of the RMG sector are now looked into by the ministry of industries. The RMG industries are only a part of the concern of this ministry, besides so many other industrial sectors. Understandably, the large RMG sector cannot, in this situation, expect to get the total attention of the industry ministry, even if the latter wants to.
Therefore, in order to provide relief to this overburdened ministry as well as to pay focused attention to the RMG sector, the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and other relevant circles have been pleading for long to set up a separate ministry for the RMG sector. So far, this suggestion has gone unheeded although there is a merit in it.
A full-fledged ministry to work full time and exclusively for it would be consistent with the growing needs of the principal economic sector of the country. Only a ministry devoted entirely to boost the RMG sector can address the many and often complex requirements and problems of the sector.
For instance, the Bangladesh government ought to share the responsibility of the BGMEA related trade promotion bodies like the BGMEA, the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) and others that have been working for ensuring wider market access of the Bangladeshi RMG products to the major importing markets. Government to government contacts or lobbying is also required more to achieve a positive outcome of such these efforts. A separate ministry for the RMG sector could do more to help achieve better results in this connection.
Meanwhile, garments producers and exporters have been making serious allegations of sabotage against them. They are saying that buyers' growing disinterest in them stems mainly from an apprehension that Bangladesh has lost its stability to be able to produce and supply apparels without disruption like in the past. The buyers usually value unbroken peace and quiet in the exporting countries for their business. Export cargoes that do not arrive on time can be a serious liability for businesses. The buyers are reluctant to maintain a high level of business relationship with a country, portrayed for labour troubles bothering garments industries.
Why and who are prompting violence fed by rumours against Bangladesh's garments industries? The key functionaries of the related trade promotion bodies stated that the incidents were engineered.
They alleged that there were premeditated and deliberate attempts at creating unrest in the related industries by some quarters out to destroy Bangladesh's flourishing garments sector to advance their ulterior interests.
Despite their grievances, the garment workers were not involved in the destructive acts. Unruly outsiders, activated by unknown quarters started smashing and grabbing anything of the industries they could. In recent years, a good number of garments industries were damaged in varying degrees. Allegations were made after some destructive incidents that some external vested quarters had provided active supports including cash to thugs vandalizing the garments industries.
Physical assaults on the industries and acts of sabotage including breakout of fire have been posing security problem to the garment industries. The threatened garments industry need focused attention from a ministry devoted to it.
A full time ministry for the RMG sector can pay the attention needed to develop and protect this all important sector. The government needs to act upon the related proposal without wasting more time.
The problems of the RMG sector are now looked into by the ministry of industries. The RMG industries are only a part of the concern of this ministry, besides so many other industrial sectors. Understandably, the large RMG sector cannot, in this situation, expect to get the total attention of the industry ministry, even if the latter wants to.
Therefore, in order to provide relief to this overburdened ministry as well as to pay focused attention to the RMG sector, the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and other relevant circles have been pleading for long to set up a separate ministry for the RMG sector. So far, this suggestion has gone unheeded although there is a merit in it.
A full-fledged ministry to work full time and exclusively for it would be consistent with the growing needs of the principal economic sector of the country. Only a ministry devoted entirely to boost the RMG sector can address the many and often complex requirements and problems of the sector.
For instance, the Bangladesh government ought to share the responsibility of the BGMEA related trade promotion bodies like the BGMEA, the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) and others that have been working for ensuring wider market access of the Bangladeshi RMG products to the major importing markets. Government to government contacts or lobbying is also required more to achieve a positive outcome of such these efforts. A separate ministry for the RMG sector could do more to help achieve better results in this connection.
Meanwhile, garments producers and exporters have been making serious allegations of sabotage against them. They are saying that buyers' growing disinterest in them stems mainly from an apprehension that Bangladesh has lost its stability to be able to produce and supply apparels without disruption like in the past. The buyers usually value unbroken peace and quiet in the exporting countries for their business. Export cargoes that do not arrive on time can be a serious liability for businesses. The buyers are reluctant to maintain a high level of business relationship with a country, portrayed for labour troubles bothering garments industries.
Why and who are prompting violence fed by rumours against Bangladesh's garments industries? The key functionaries of the related trade promotion bodies stated that the incidents were engineered.
They alleged that there were premeditated and deliberate attempts at creating unrest in the related industries by some quarters out to destroy Bangladesh's flourishing garments sector to advance their ulterior interests.
Despite their grievances, the garment workers were not involved in the destructive acts. Unruly outsiders, activated by unknown quarters started smashing and grabbing anything of the industries they could. In recent years, a good number of garments industries were damaged in varying degrees. Allegations were made after some destructive incidents that some external vested quarters had provided active supports including cash to thugs vandalizing the garments industries.
Physical assaults on the industries and acts of sabotage including breakout of fire have been posing security problem to the garment industries. The threatened garments industry need focused attention from a ministry devoted to it.
A full time ministry for the RMG sector can pay the attention needed to develop and protect this all important sector. The government needs to act upon the related proposal without wasting more time.