Patriot Group seeks govt's support

Patriot Group has sought the government's support to reopen its two apparel factories lying closed due to "bad smell in the goods" of the units located near a tar factory.
Stitchwell Designs Ltd and Apparel Stitch Ltd have remained closed for the last three years from 2020 as buyers declined to source apparel complaining of bad smell in them.
However, the factory authorities alleged that the bad smell was coming from an adjacent tar factory, 'Aeroplane Alkatra' of Nazrul and Brothers Ltd.
Patriot Group managing director Md Iqbal Hossain made the plea to the government from a press conference held at the closed Stitchwell Designs compound at Tejgaon on Saturday.
From 2014, he claimed, some of his buyers started complaining of bad smell like crude oil in the goods produced in the two apparel units located beside the tar plant.
In 2015, many buyers put pressure on Patriot Group to ensure that its woven shirts and bottoms had no bad smell or they would source from other factories.
"After that, we've repeatedly requested the tar factory authorities to take an initiative so that bad smell of tar and naphthalene doesn't spread outside the factory. But he didn't pay heed," said Mr Hossain.
He claimed that Patriot Group used to produce garments for global brands like Zara, Mango, LIDL, Carrefour, Walmart and Sears Kmart who later stopped placing orders for the same reason.
"In absence of work orders, we were forced to shut the factories on 10 March 2020 as per the Bangladesh Labour Act," said Mr Hossain.
Even some 2,500 workers lost their jobs due to factory closure, he said, claiming that he had paid Tk 130 million to the workers as per law.
Patriot Group has also lost export earnings worth $22-25 million due to the closure.
It earlier wrote to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and the Department of Environment (DoE) to address buyers' concern and run business in this regard.
On 11 June 2018, the DoE issued a notice to Nazrul and Brothers to install an effective system in the factory within a short time to reduce bad smell of tar.
Otherwise, the environmental clearance certificate would not be renewed, Mr Hossain said citing the notice.
The tar plant has been running without any approval as the DoE rejected the application of Nazrul and Brothers for renewing the certificate in February 2021.
When asked, Nazrul and Brothers chairman Nazrul Islam said they have been running the factory for more than 52 years complying with the standards of the DoE.
They filed a writ petition with the High Court after the rejection for the renewal of the environmental clearance certificate. "It's awaiting verdict."
Mr Islam, however, said the factory would be relocated to Narayanganj within the shortest possible time, provided gas connection there, as the construction of the new factory is already done.
munni_fe@yahoo.com