Apparel industry under security threat, seeks govt cover
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Apparel industry entrepreneurs Tuesday expressed concern that they have been facing security threats, as several factories came under workers' wrath in the recent times, reports UNB.
They urged the government to provide security cover for their RMG factories as well as for themselves.
"Give a strong message to the workers that they cannot ransack factories and attack the factory-owners," FBCCI president Annisul Huq urged the government at a press briefing at FBCCI conference room.
"If they (workers) have any complain, they can ask the factory management for their solution," he said, reflecting the agony of the apparel entrepreneurs over the recent unrest.
BGMEA president Anwarul Huq Chowdhury (Parvez), BKMEA president Fazlul Haque, former BGMEA presidents, ICCB president Mahbubur Rahman, eminent industrialist Syed Manzur Elahi, MCCI president Latifur Rahman and representatives from other industries were also present at the briefing.
Some 147 RMG factories came under attack since January this year, including 22 this month. "Even some highly-rated factories in terms of working conditions and wage payment came under attack," Annisul said, expressing concern over the unrest in the country's largest export-earning sector. "The wages may be a reason, but the entrepreneurs do not think that it's the main reason behind the attack," he said.
BGMEA president supplemented the FBCCI president, saying that about cent per cent factories by now comply with minimum wages as per the so-called tripartite agreement reached in 2006. Of course, few factories do not have the capacity to comply with it.
BKMEA president Fazlul Haque added that the motives of the factory attack still remain unknown to the factory owners. He said the administration should identify the problems.
FBCCI president Annisul Huq, who is a RMG entrepreneur and a former BGMEA president, admitted that the workers have been struggling to meet the pressure of rising prices.
"But the entrepreneurs are not responsible for price hike," he said, adding that the entrepreneurs too have been struggling to tackle problems like frequent power outages and disruption in gas supply at the cost of their profit margin. "We're not in a comfortable situation either."
Asked whether the workers' wages were increased keeping up with the level of price hike, he said the workers were given regular annual increments in June considering factors like price hike and workers' performance.
Replying to another question, he said the government could well ensure the security of the factories and the entrepreneurs. "Unruly workers are not many, they're very few," he added.
The entrepreneurs will meet with relevant authorities of the government, including the Chief Adviser, in a day or two to discuss the question of security of their factories.
They urged the government to provide security cover for their RMG factories as well as for themselves.
"Give a strong message to the workers that they cannot ransack factories and attack the factory-owners," FBCCI president Annisul Huq urged the government at a press briefing at FBCCI conference room.
"If they (workers) have any complain, they can ask the factory management for their solution," he said, reflecting the agony of the apparel entrepreneurs over the recent unrest.
BGMEA president Anwarul Huq Chowdhury (Parvez), BKMEA president Fazlul Haque, former BGMEA presidents, ICCB president Mahbubur Rahman, eminent industrialist Syed Manzur Elahi, MCCI president Latifur Rahman and representatives from other industries were also present at the briefing.
Some 147 RMG factories came under attack since January this year, including 22 this month. "Even some highly-rated factories in terms of working conditions and wage payment came under attack," Annisul said, expressing concern over the unrest in the country's largest export-earning sector. "The wages may be a reason, but the entrepreneurs do not think that it's the main reason behind the attack," he said.
BGMEA president supplemented the FBCCI president, saying that about cent per cent factories by now comply with minimum wages as per the so-called tripartite agreement reached in 2006. Of course, few factories do not have the capacity to comply with it.
BKMEA president Fazlul Haque added that the motives of the factory attack still remain unknown to the factory owners. He said the administration should identify the problems.
FBCCI president Annisul Huq, who is a RMG entrepreneur and a former BGMEA president, admitted that the workers have been struggling to meet the pressure of rising prices.
"But the entrepreneurs are not responsible for price hike," he said, adding that the entrepreneurs too have been struggling to tackle problems like frequent power outages and disruption in gas supply at the cost of their profit margin. "We're not in a comfortable situation either."
Asked whether the workers' wages were increased keeping up with the level of price hike, he said the workers were given regular annual increments in June considering factors like price hike and workers' performance.
Replying to another question, he said the government could well ensure the security of the factories and the entrepreneurs. "Unruly workers are not many, they're very few," he added.
The entrepreneurs will meet with relevant authorities of the government, including the Chief Adviser, in a day or two to discuss the question of security of their factories.