Labour unrest in apparel sector marks fall by 43pc

Jasim Uddin Haroon Labour unrest in the country's main apparel making belts has registered a fall by nearly 43 per cent in 2011 over the calendar year 2010, according to BGMEA statistics revealed Wednesday. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) official statistics said a total of149 incidents of labour unrest took place in 2011 while it was 259 in 2010 when two major fire incidents spread unrest to the entire industry. BGMEA officials said formation of an industrial police, implementation of minimum wages board and awareness raising programmes helped in reducing the unrest which threatened Bangladesh's clothing sector in 2010. In 2010, labour unrest at Ashulia, Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj and Chittagong, the major clothing making belts, engulfed the major factories. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, BGMEA president said: "This is very good news for us that the incidents of labour unrest have dropped in 2011." Mr Mohiuddin said: "This (fall in labour unrest) will help the industry grow further." The clothing export target for fiscal 2012 has been fixed at US$ 20.29 billion. Officials working at the BGMEA said labour unrest occurred 25 times in 2011 because of delay in payment of wages while 114 incidents occurred demanding extra Eid bonus. They also said 57 incidents of unrest in 2010 were for arrear wages and the remaining for implementing minimum wages. The rumour of 'ghost' attacks and subsequent missing of workers also led to many incidents in 2010. Md Rafiq, an official at the BGMEA labour unrest cell said deployment of industrial police in major clothing making areas helped to improve the situation. Abdus Salam, director general of industrial police told the FE: "In many cases we are working as arbitrators between the workers and owners to address the grievances and ensure smooth production in the factories." The chief of industrial police said: "We're expecting the incidents of unrest will drop further in the years ahead as the number of policemen is rising to tackle the situation." Currently nearly 2500 members of industrial police have been deployed at Ashulia, Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj and Chittagong. The force was formed in October in 2010 although industrialists had been demanding creation of the same for long. According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh fetched $12.59 billion from garment exports in last fiscal year, and contributed around 80 per cent to total export earning. Of the total amount, the country exported knitwear items worth $6.48 billion, and woven garments worth $6.01 billion, registering a 0.84 per cent and 1.60 per cent growth respectively, according to the EPB data. Bangladesh has ranked fourth in the global apparel exports and grabbed 3 per cent market share, according to a recent World Trade Organisation (WTO) report. Bangladesh secured the fourth position in terms of value followed by China, 27 EU countries and Turkey, said the report.