Security of garments industries

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THE government must complete investigations comprehensively and effectively at the fastest into various recent troubles in the garments industries, identify clearly the ones who encouraged them and take swiftly the sternest uncompromising actions against them. It must take the warning from the RMG entrepreneurs very seriously indeed and absolutely ensure that that the sort of physical security that owners of RMG industries are demanding, would be provided. Dark conspiracies are there against our garments industries. The conspirators will have to be thoroughly defeated.
The government cannot be easy-going in its attitude towards protecting 'physically' the RMG industries because a lion's share of the country's wealth, some 76 per cent of its export earnings, are produced by these industries. Such earnings by the RMG sector is a major cushion for the country's foreign currency reserve. The reserve would nose-dive and consequently shatter the prevailing macro-economic stability if the RMG sector meets a major debacle. Besides, the RMG sector directly employs about 2.0 million people while indirectly about 10 million people are its dependents or beneficiaries. Thus, no government can be unmindful about its duty to physically protect the RMG industries in a foolproof manner because very vital national economic interests are involved.
Shawkat Hossain
Baridhara, Dhaka