Protecting the garments sector
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Saiful Islam
Garments producers and exporters have been making serious charges of sabotage against them. They are saying that buyers' growing disinterest in them stems from various factors but the most pronounced ones seem to be a kind of apprehension that Bangladesh is failing to maintain its stability to be able to produce and supply apparels without disruption like in the past. The buyers put the highest premium usually on unbroken peace and quiet in the exporting countries for the security and safety of their business. Export cargoes that do not arrive on time or arrive late can prove to be serious liabilities for businesses.
Thus, the buyers are reluctant to maintain a high level of business relationship with a country which is portrayed as one where workers in its garments industries are seething with discontent and can trigger large scale rioting any time.
Investigations which were launched last year found sufficient evidences of involvement of exogenous forces behind the large scale troubles in the garments industries. The government needs to take the warning from the RMG entrepreneurs very seriously indeed and absolutely ensure that that the sort of security that owners of RMG industries are demanding, would be provided.
Government must complete investigations comprehensively and effectively into various recent troubles in the garments industries, identify clearly the ones who encouraged them and take the sternest uncompromising actions against them.
Garments producers and exporters have been making serious charges of sabotage against them. They are saying that buyers' growing disinterest in them stems from various factors but the most pronounced ones seem to be a kind of apprehension that Bangladesh is failing to maintain its stability to be able to produce and supply apparels without disruption like in the past. The buyers put the highest premium usually on unbroken peace and quiet in the exporting countries for the security and safety of their business. Export cargoes that do not arrive on time or arrive late can prove to be serious liabilities for businesses.
Thus, the buyers are reluctant to maintain a high level of business relationship with a country which is portrayed as one where workers in its garments industries are seething with discontent and can trigger large scale rioting any time.
Investigations which were launched last year found sufficient evidences of involvement of exogenous forces behind the large scale troubles in the garments industries. The government needs to take the warning from the RMG entrepreneurs very seriously indeed and absolutely ensure that that the sort of security that owners of RMG industries are demanding, would be provided.
Government must complete investigations comprehensively and effectively into various recent troubles in the garments industries, identify clearly the ones who encouraged them and take the sternest uncompromising actions against them.