The plight of RMG workers

Ripan Kumar Biswas

100 per cent cotton slim fit t-shirts. Made in Bangladesh.
   A few days before at H&M departmental store of 49 streets, Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York, I noticed that around ten people had bought those shirts within half an hour.
   “Bangladeshi garments are nothing short of sumptuous but have unique luster and captivating look,” said delightfully one of my feature writing class mate Emily Roderick after hearing the public hearing in Washington about Bangladeshi garments for duty and quota-free access to the American market.
   She further requested me to giver her more description about different designs of Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment (RMG).
   I was glad to help her but like many other times, I feel ashamed to hear once again the death of one female garment worker including 50 other injuries in police firing during a clash with the police at Targachh in Gazipur on Sunday, May 20, 2007.
   According to the news, around two thousands workers of export-oriented Fortuna Fashion Garments of Baro Bari area at Board Bazar in Gazipur have been going out on demonstrations demanding their dues including six months’ salary arrears and overtime payment.
   The police claimed that victim Asma was critically wounded in a road accident when vehicle drivers tried to cross the troubled spot while the workers were demonstrating.
   Starting in late 70s, today Bangladesh has more than 4100 garment manufacturing and exporting units to boost the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
   The garment industry in Bangladesh earned about $7.9 billion last year and is expected to double in the next 3 years. It is responsible for around 75.06 per cent of Bangladeshi exports. Every year Bangladesh exports 150 million shirts to the US.
   Bangladesh’s apparel exports were far from declining in the first quarter of the post-quota regime, although confronted with strong competition from China and India.
   Bangladesh managed to maintain its comparative advantage despite a growing tension on prices. Orders are on the rise and manufacturers are exploring new strategic alliances.
   The 2 million workers in Bangladesh garment industries work for little more than starvation wages.
   Keeping eye on the rising tide of Bangladeshi RMG, government of Bangladesh, organisations related to RMG sectors, human rights organizations, media, international organisations and even the buyers always impose conditions to improve the standard of living of garment workers. Situation, however, is improving slowly.
   Clashes in the garment producing areas are continuing, the main issues being alleged victimisation of militants, back pay, non-implementation of previously agreed concessions.
   On occasions strikes break out at individual factories, workers nearby stop work to join in the demonstrations. Clashes with police, army and factory security continue, as do attacks on company property.
   While a little attention from the employers could solve the problems why the workers very often come out on the streets to demonstrate and focus on their demands?
   There are 2 million garment workers in Bangladesh. Each year they sew £1.6 billion worth of clothing for export to Europe and another $2 billion worth for the US. These people are some of the hardest workers in the world. They deserve to be treated like human beings. But how are they treated?
   The 2 million workers are allegedly being stripped of their rights, trapped like slaves, paid just a few pennies an hour, working exhausting hours, living in utter misery, and sacked, penniless and worn out, when they reach 35 years of age.
   Large number of the factory owners are not following the ten-point agreement that was signed between the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment and Manufacturing Employers’ Association), government and 12 garments workers’ federations to ensure the rights of garment workers.
   According to law, women work is prohibited after 8 pm. But at times the women workers are asked to work until 10 pm or 11 pm. Even in some cases they work the whole night. In many cases maternity leaves are absence.
   Many factories do not have the day care centers, though as per the agreements they are now trying to catch up. In many cases, management does not pay the monthly wage and overtime payment within 7th of the next month. In hundreds of smaller factories monthly wages and overtime payments remain out standing for 2/3 months.
   As the garment workers do not have appointment letters to use as proof of employment and the government turns a blind eye to their plight, owners of the garment factories can terminate workers at any time without serving any notice.
   According to the agreement, large number of the garment factories are not following the new minimum wage fixed at Tk. 1662.50(US $ 24).
   Thousands of workers in Bangladesh put their lives and limbs on the line every day on the factory floors. As a large chunk of the country’s export earnings come from the garment sector, something tangible should be done so that Bangladesh don’t need to count any more loss of life.
   Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE

Holiday Desk

A roundtable discussion on "Problems and Prospects of Non-residents Bangladeshis' (NRBs') investment in Bangladesh" organised by Britannia Properties Limited was held at a hotel in Dhaka last week.
   Dr. Fazal Mahmood presented the key note paper, while Abdur Rouf JP, chairman of Britannia Properties was in the chair. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, former president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce, Faisal Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of Royal City were the discussant while Prof. Nurul Karim Nasim and Shyamol Dutta editor of Bhorer Kagoj were moderators. Shakoor Majid, managing director of Britannia Properties was also present in the conference.
   Dr. Mahmood in his paper highlighted the importance of the investment of non-residents in Bangladesh as a catalytic force because that induce other expatriate Bangladeshis to come forward with their investment that can be substantial. Dr. Mahmud has precisely mentioned the contribution of non residence Bangladeshis towards their motherland. However, he said that the new generation of Bangladeshis living in UK are reluctant about their investment in Bangladesh. But it could be relatively easy to turn their attention towards their forefathers homeland, if enough opportunities are created for them.
   Kamal Uddin Ahmed in his short speech reminded the expatriate Bangladeshi's that it is their responsibilities to invest different sectors. Abdur Rouf JP in his presidential deliberation invited the expatriate Bangladeshis not only from UK but also from other parts of the world to invest for the economic development of the country as the non-resident Chinese and the Indians have done in their respective countries.
   A question-answer session followed in which Ehsanul Aziz, Monirul Hossain of Kamal Arsalam participated.

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE

---

Taiwan-Bangla plant to invest
US$ 1.84 million in Dhaka EPZ

Taiwan and Bangladesh will establish a garments accessories manufacturing industry in Dhaka Export Processing Zone. This company is known as Taiwan Bangla Specialised Textiles Limited.
   This joint venture company will invest US$ I .842 million, which will create employment opportunity for 97 Bangladeshi and 05 foreign nationals. The company will manufacture annually 42 million meters of interlining.
   An agreement to this effect was signed between Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and Taiwan- Bangla Specialised Textiles Limited in Dhaka on May 22. Prasanta Bhushan Barua, Member (investment Promotion) of BEPZA and Mohammed Hanif, Managing Director of Taiwan- Bangla Specialised Textiles Limited signed the lease agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.
   Among others Brig. General Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf, Executive Chairman, Member (Finance) AKM Mahbubur Rahrnan,, General Manager (Investment Promotion) AZM Azizur Rahman, Deputy General Manager (Public Relations) Mrs. Nazma Binte Alamgir and Manager (Industrial Relations) Md. Abdus Sobhan of BEPZA and William Hsu, Director of Taiwan- Bangla Specialised Textiles Limited were present at the signing ceremony.

^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE