Move to fix sustainable strategy for local garment industry facing global challenges
FE Report | Sunday, 29 June 2008
A two-day conference of the international MFA Forum (Multi Fibre Arrangement) started Saturday in Dhaka to work out a sustainable strategy for the local garment industry facing global challenges.
Garment manufacturers, international buyers and representatives of worker unions joined the conference.
At the end of the first session Saturday, the MFA Forum at a press conference called for improved working conditions and smooth trade union activities in the industry.
Multi-stakeholders Forum Bangladesh (MFB), a local garment manufacturers organisation formed after MFA conference in 2006, called for ensuring fair price for garments by international buyers.
Addressing the press conference Md Fazlul Hoque, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association president, said representatives of workers want to resume trade union activities, which have remained suspended due to the state of emergency.
"Local trade union activists have urged the conference to convey the massage to the government that it should relax emergency rules on TU activities as such rules have been relaxed for many," Fazlul Hoque said.
Buyers' representatives have agreed to pay attention to the issue of fair prices of import products.
"Buyers do recognise the issue (of justified pricing of garments) and we are engaged in it," Paul Dearman, a trading law and technical manger of UK based retail giant Tesco, said while briefing journalists on behalf of the buyers community.
Paul, also the co-chair of the MFA Forum, however, argued that the price fixation is an extremely sensitive subject and it needs to follow numerous market factors and regulations.
Earlier Fazlul Hoque said a downward pressure on prices had made things difficult for Bangladesh's garment industry. The conference will shed lights on ethical practices.
"Demands for ensuring quality, fast delivery, and social compliances in the industry are unjustified if prices, which are already poor, continue falling," said Hoque.
He said the conference will take note of the unstable relation between buyers and sellers, unnecessary pressure on delivery time, abrupt changes and cancellations of orders by buyers.
"Effects of global inflation and fluctuation of major currencies on Bangladesh's garment industry will also be discussed at the conference," he added.
Representative from Sweden-based buyer H&M, Maritha Lorentzon, Brussels-based International Textile Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, Steve Grinter attended the joint press briefing.
Former vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Faisal Samad and Joint-Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Mustafa Mohiuddin attended.
The Bangladesh National Council of Textile, Garment and Leather Workers- an umbrella organisation for 14 TUs in the sectors- represented workers at the conference.
Karmajibi Nari, a local workers rights organisation and OXFAM, an International NGO, also had representations at the conference.
The MFA Forum was established in London in 2004 in response to growing anticipation that the phase-out of quota regime on global textile trade would potentially lead negative consequences for developing countries that rely on garments exports.
The international MFA Form later formed a steering committee, MFAB- Multi-stakeholders Forum Bangladesh, in May 2005 and continued monitoring and facilitating the industry in Bangladesh.
Garment manufacturers, international buyers and representatives of worker unions joined the conference.
At the end of the first session Saturday, the MFA Forum at a press conference called for improved working conditions and smooth trade union activities in the industry.
Multi-stakeholders Forum Bangladesh (MFB), a local garment manufacturers organisation formed after MFA conference in 2006, called for ensuring fair price for garments by international buyers.
Addressing the press conference Md Fazlul Hoque, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association president, said representatives of workers want to resume trade union activities, which have remained suspended due to the state of emergency.
"Local trade union activists have urged the conference to convey the massage to the government that it should relax emergency rules on TU activities as such rules have been relaxed for many," Fazlul Hoque said.
Buyers' representatives have agreed to pay attention to the issue of fair prices of import products.
"Buyers do recognise the issue (of justified pricing of garments) and we are engaged in it," Paul Dearman, a trading law and technical manger of UK based retail giant Tesco, said while briefing journalists on behalf of the buyers community.
Paul, also the co-chair of the MFA Forum, however, argued that the price fixation is an extremely sensitive subject and it needs to follow numerous market factors and regulations.
Earlier Fazlul Hoque said a downward pressure on prices had made things difficult for Bangladesh's garment industry. The conference will shed lights on ethical practices.
"Demands for ensuring quality, fast delivery, and social compliances in the industry are unjustified if prices, which are already poor, continue falling," said Hoque.
He said the conference will take note of the unstable relation between buyers and sellers, unnecessary pressure on delivery time, abrupt changes and cancellations of orders by buyers.
"Effects of global inflation and fluctuation of major currencies on Bangladesh's garment industry will also be discussed at the conference," he added.
Representative from Sweden-based buyer H&M, Maritha Lorentzon, Brussels-based International Textile Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, Steve Grinter attended the joint press briefing.
Former vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Faisal Samad and Joint-Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Mustafa Mohiuddin attended.
The Bangladesh National Council of Textile, Garment and Leather Workers- an umbrella organisation for 14 TUs in the sectors- represented workers at the conference.
Karmajibi Nari, a local workers rights organisation and OXFAM, an International NGO, also had representations at the conference.
The MFA Forum was established in London in 2004 in response to growing anticipation that the phase-out of quota regime on global textile trade would potentially lead negative consequences for developing countries that rely on garments exports.
The international MFA Form later formed a steering committee, MFAB- Multi-stakeholders Forum Bangladesh, in May 2005 and continued monitoring and facilitating the industry in Bangladesh.