Policy supports for RMG sector
Monday, 31 December 2007
Anisul Islam
PRESENTLY, the problems of the RMG sector are looked into and responded, if any, by the Ministry of Jute and Textiles, if not that of Industries. The RMG industries are but only a part of the concern of this ministry which has to give its attention to other industrial sectors of the country. Understandably, the RMG sector in this situation cannot get the total and very dedicated attention of the Jute and Textiles ministry notwithstanding the latter's intention to the contrary.
Therefore, in order to cater adequately to the needs for focused attention to the RMG sector, the BGMEA has been pleading for long to set up exclusively a separate ministry for the RMG sector. So far, this suggestion has gone unheeded although there are merits in it for an exclusive ministry for the RMG sector.
The RMG sector needs a full fledged ministry to work full time and exclusively for it. In view of the recent problems facing the industries in the sector and also in consideration of the possible adverse fallout from the withdrawal of restrictions on imports of RMG from China in the days ahead, there is a greater need now than before to provide a befitting focus on the need for doing the needful with a sense of urgency for smooth operations of the country's RMG units in the future. In this context the establishment of such a new ministry deserves attention. The need is indeed pressing to hedge the principal economic sector of the country from pitfalls in the short, medium and long terms. The uplift of the RMG sector through attention to the many and often complex requirements and problems that need to be met and solved respectively is imperative for sustained growth of the Bangladesh economy.
On its part, the BGMEA has been lobbying in the USA for getting duty free access of its products to that country which is the single most important market for Bangladeshi RMG producers. But the government of Bangladesh also shares responsibility for pushing through a legislation in the legislative bodies of the USA to this end. The lobbying for the duty free access is now being done mainly by the BGMEA with the government's Ministry of Foreign affairs only playing a secondary role to this end. However, one correctly anticipates that government to government lobbying or contacts are also significantly required to achieve a positive outcome to these efforts. Hence, the authorities concerned do need to apply themselves intensely to the lobbying exercise.
There are many other areas where a utmost efforts are required for development and protection of this all important sector. Therefore, the government needs to appreciate the urgency of well-consistent policy supports for the purpose.
PRESENTLY, the problems of the RMG sector are looked into and responded, if any, by the Ministry of Jute and Textiles, if not that of Industries. The RMG industries are but only a part of the concern of this ministry which has to give its attention to other industrial sectors of the country. Understandably, the RMG sector in this situation cannot get the total and very dedicated attention of the Jute and Textiles ministry notwithstanding the latter's intention to the contrary.
Therefore, in order to cater adequately to the needs for focused attention to the RMG sector, the BGMEA has been pleading for long to set up exclusively a separate ministry for the RMG sector. So far, this suggestion has gone unheeded although there are merits in it for an exclusive ministry for the RMG sector.
The RMG sector needs a full fledged ministry to work full time and exclusively for it. In view of the recent problems facing the industries in the sector and also in consideration of the possible adverse fallout from the withdrawal of restrictions on imports of RMG from China in the days ahead, there is a greater need now than before to provide a befitting focus on the need for doing the needful with a sense of urgency for smooth operations of the country's RMG units in the future. In this context the establishment of such a new ministry deserves attention. The need is indeed pressing to hedge the principal economic sector of the country from pitfalls in the short, medium and long terms. The uplift of the RMG sector through attention to the many and often complex requirements and problems that need to be met and solved respectively is imperative for sustained growth of the Bangladesh economy.
On its part, the BGMEA has been lobbying in the USA for getting duty free access of its products to that country which is the single most important market for Bangladeshi RMG producers. But the government of Bangladesh also shares responsibility for pushing through a legislation in the legislative bodies of the USA to this end. The lobbying for the duty free access is now being done mainly by the BGMEA with the government's Ministry of Foreign affairs only playing a secondary role to this end. However, one correctly anticipates that government to government lobbying or contacts are also significantly required to achieve a positive outcome to these efforts. Hence, the authorities concerned do need to apply themselves intensely to the lobbying exercise.
There are many other areas where a utmost efforts are required for development and protection of this all important sector. Therefore, the government needs to appreciate the urgency of well-consistent policy supports for the purpose.