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Candid thoughts
Mohiuddin Babar
Once again, there are dark clouds over the ready made garments sector in the country. The clouds have already precipitated heavy storm on a chain of apparel making factories near Dhaka during the last week signalling rough weather for the hundred per cent export oriented industrial sector that accounts for almost three fourths of the country's foreign exchange earnings. The mayhem, stirred by thousands of workers reportedly demanding over due salary payments and implementation of various labour laws, has not only cost few lives and property damages worth crores of taka but stamped a red alert warning to all concerned, the government in particular.The ready made garments sector has been thriving over the decades and it remained as the prime foreign exchange earner besides being the second biggest employer - after agriculture - in the country. It contributed immensely to socio economic uplift of the country by entailing massive development in communication, logistics and linkage industries like packaging, printing, labelling, cheap perfumes etc.
It is not the first time that such a riot has taken place in the domain of the ready made industries in the country. There have been several scenarios like this in the past and every time it ended up in ritual formation of probe bodies but never ever the reports have seen light of the day. No one bothered to make root cause analysis of the incidents and find out an effective solution to the problem whatever that could be. As a result, the once thriving industry is slowly transiting to decay. Will that not be catastrophic?
Reports indicate that initially some workers of a factory staged demonstrations protesting the retrenchment of some employees and demanding payments of their long over due wages. The protests took a fiery turn when law enforcers shot and killed a protester. Quite obviously, as seen in such incidents in the past, the action ignited further and wider fury. It was a repeated blunder of the law enforcers who should have made proper reconnaissance of the strength of the control ability. On the other hand, it looks quite convincing that there are elements on board to seize such opportunities to destroy the boom of this vibrant sector.
It is not untrue that many garments factory owners have not been regular in paying the wages of their workers. Let alone other conditions of employee rights and privileges, irregular payment of wages are susceptible to breed agitation and once a befitting forum is found, the suffering workers would make best use to ventilate their anger. A recently concluded government survey brought to light the fact that many garments factory owners are "habitually" defaulters in paying wages to their employees. It indicated that about fifteen per cent of the eight hundred garments factories surveyed have not been paying wages to the workers regularly. The survey also stated that labour rights violation is more widespread in the garments manufacturing sector than any other industrial sectors in the country.
While the recent violent outbursts in the garments sector are the powerful ventilation of anger and helplessness of the workers, the negligence of the government in ensuring their fair work-life equation by enforcing and overseeing implementation of conducive labour rights is also responsible for the appalling situation today. Repeated workplace accidents and poor working conditions have already bracketed the ready made garments sector as dangerous. Now, bad practices of some owners are adding fuel to the fire. This will only facilitate those who are trying to colonize the sector with heinous blueprint to destroy its potentials.
babar.mohiuddin@gmail.com
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NAP's Mozaffar supports move to
whiten black money
Kazim Reza
Veteran left leader Professor Mozaffar Ahmed strongly supported a budgetary proposal for legalising undeclared money to infuse it in the national economy during FY2009-10.
Professor Mozaffar, President of National Awami Party (NAP) 'a stanch believer' of Marxist ideals, in an exclusive interview said, "I am amused with those people in the country who want investment for ensuring industrialisation in one voice and in the same breathe they have raised a hue and cry on the provision that was proposed by the finance minister.
Do they understand what the black money is and are they aware about the means of primary capital accumulation for industrialisation, said Professor Mozaffar while talking at his daughter's flat at Segunbagicha in the city.
Professor Mozaffar, was twice elected as a member of parliament in 1954 and 1979 in the provincial and national elections respectively said, to make a self-reliant and non- dependent economy the politician in cooperation with the industrialists should take bold steps. His party NAP is a component of 14 party alliance under ruling Awami League.
His wife Amena Ahmad is a NAP MP in the parliament and the professor known for his wit and humour, said, "Look she didn't consult me before delivering her budget speech. I believe she sought cooperation from Surangit (Sengupta)."
The professor supported Industry Minister Dilip Barua for his recent "courageous statements" on 'black money' at a meeting of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. However, the NAP leader said, the question is not so simple that the government can accumulate huge fund for investment by just implementing this provision by collecting 10-per cent tax on undeclared money. One can't even achieve the investment target and production by just giving more tax free benefits without creating an enabling environment, he added. Prof. Mozaffar said, curiously felt that the industrialists are not aware of or united in protecting their interest.
He praised President Ziaur Rahman for introducing the system of legalising undeclared money in the national economy for industrialisation. Zia was a great freedom fighter that's why he could have taken such a courageous decision, he.
Professor Muzaffar said one must remember about the formation of capital during the industrialisation of United Kingdom, saying, "Please go through the history of industrialisation in Lancashire. Isn't it a fact that England had accumulated capital from its colonies for its own industrialisation.
He observed that one should not forget how the big industrial houses of Pakistan including the Adamjees, the Ispahanis, the Bawanis had formed their capital and used it for industrialisation of Pakistan. Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy as a minister of food and civil supply had given the opportunity to the Ispahani by giving license as civil supply contractor which was a great tool for them to become a family of industrialist, he said.
Presenting the classical Marxist interpretation, Professor Mozaffar said, nationalism is a concept developed by the national bourgeois on which they moved on and protect their self or class interest and also to uphold the national interest.
The end would justify the means and by creating a strong base of national bourgeois the national economy can grow and resist the pressure of the World Bank, he said. Apparently for this he supports the move to 'whiten the black money'.
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New investment bank launched
Holiday Report
NDB Capital Limited, a Sri Lanka-Bangladesh joint venture investment bank, has been formally inaugurated with a view to develop the capital market of Bangladesh.
NDB Capital plans to introduce a range of innovative investment banking products in Bangladesh to fulfill the growing needs of the market. Using the indepth knowledge and long standing experience of NDB Group, NDB Capital can provide end to end corporate finance solutions from structuring and placement of plain vanila to highly complicated structured finance products. In addition, NDB Capital will also establish the highest level of professionalism and ethical standards in the Bangladesh capital market.
NDB Group is one of the leading financial services conglomerates in Sri Lanka having stakes in commercial banking, development banking, investment banking, stock brokering, fund management and insurance. NDB Group has several strategic alliances with globally reputed financial institutions such as International Finance Corporation, Aviva PLC, Citigroup and Commonwealth Development Corporation.
NDB Investment Bank, a subsidiary of NDB Bank is the leading investment bank in Sri Lanka. It has carried out Sri Lanka's largest equity, debt and securitization transactions and has also introduced a number of innovative financial instruments to the Sri Lankan market.
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RWPB demands probe into CG's
HR violations
Holiday Report
The Revolutionary Workers party of Bangladesh (RWPB) in a statement last week demanded a thorough investigation into the misrule, torture, harassment and all the violations of human rights (HR) committed during two years of Caretaker Government (CG).
Issuing the statement on the occasion of UN Day of Solidarity with the Torture Victims, RWPB president Khandaker Ali Abbas and General Secretary Saiful Huq also demanded fair trail and proper punishment of the persons responsible for the crime committed against the people of the country.
They called upon the government to identify the offenders who had killed so many people including the progressive political workers in an extrajudicial manner in the name of crossfire, encounter or operation clean heart.
On this occasion, the RWPB expressed solidarity with the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and others who are fighting against the imperialist oppression and killings all over the globe.
In another statement, RWPB strongly protested the killings of garments workers in the city skirt of Savar last week. They demanded arrest and trial of the garments owners and the law enforcing members who were directly involved in the killings. They also demanded proper treatment for the injured workers and adequate compensation for the victims.
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Benajir Elected Chairman of
Lions PDG Forum.
Holiday Report
Benajir Ahmed, a leading Industrialist of the Country has been elected as Chairman of Lions Past District Governors Forum (PDG Forum) for second time of Lions Club International, Multiple Dist-315 Bangladesh in its annual general meeting last week.He had been elected District Governor of Lions Clubs International, District 315B1, and Bangladesh 1996-97.
He was also Vice Chairman of Bangladesh Lions Foundation for 1995-96 & Vice Chairman, Lions Clubs International, Multiple Dist-315 Bangladesh for 1997-98.
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