BATEXPO-2014 opens: Ensure working atmosphere in garment factories: PM
The New Nation, Bangladesh
Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia urged the owners of garment industries and concerned authorities to ensure appropriate working environment, factory condition, and workers health and safety and their wages and welfare.
She also called for properly fulfilling the conditions of compliance, which is presently very important.
The Prime Minister made the call yesterday while inaugurating the three-day long 17th Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exposition (BATEXPO) 2014 at Hotel Sheraton in the capital.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) with GTZ, a German technical cooperation organisation, organised the biggest showcase of RMG and textile products to attract the foreign buyers.
The Prime Minister said, “The Government has formed a forum, led by the Commerce Minister, to face the compliance issues of the RMG sector.â€
She expressed her happiness knowing that the BGMEA and BKMEA have formed a joint project with International Labour Organisation (ILO) to make the garment industries compliant.
She said, “In any industry, role of owner-worker-buyer is important. Cordially, understanding and cooperation of the three parties is essential for continuous development of the industry.â€
The Prime Minister also said that her government is ready to extend all cooperation to ensure upholding the genuine interests of the three parties. The government has provided such cooperation in the past and would continue to do so in the future.
In the present context, there is need to set up a ‘Garment Palli’ or garment industrial park to meet the demands of the buyers on compliance issue. She added that the government has taken up the matter with highest importance.
The Prime Minister informed that the government had taken steps to establish a ‘Garment Palli’ at Gazaria upazila in Munshiganj, where about 300 compliant factories would be set up.
Bangladesh should not be confined to sewing of garments in order to keep the country’s readymade garment competitive in the global market, she said.
She also said, “We will have to produce fabrics and other accessories in the country as well as have to set up more backward linkage industries.â€
The government is ready to give all necessary assistance in this regard, she added and invited the foreign and local entrepreneurs to invest in the sector.
About rehabilitation of the sick industries, the Prime Minister repeated the BGMEA leaders and said that it is most urgent to start these factories for the development of socio-economic condition and for bringing stability in the society.
She said that the Ministry of Commerce in this regard formed a committee. The committee has submitted its recommendations.
The Prime Minister directed all concerned to examine the committee’s recommendations and start implementing those immediately.
She advised BGMEA, BTMA and BKMEA to work together in the greater interest of the development of RMG industries and boost exports.
Commerce Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, State Minister for Finance and Planning Shah Mohammad Abul Hossain and BGMEA President SM Fazlul Haque also spoke at the function.
Ministers, MPs, entrepreneurs, garment and textile exporters, foreign buyers and investors attended the inaugural session.
The Prime Minister formally inaugurated the fair and visited some stalls.
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