The New Nation - Internet Edition

A.T.M.Nurun Nabi

The apparel sector earned 3022.23 million dollar out of total 4018.67 million dollars during the first four months of the current fiscal, indicating that the country's export earnings heavily depend on the performance of the readymade garment industries. When the multi-fiber agreement (MFA) was withdrawn in December 2004, the vested group predicted landslide in the RMG sector vis-a-vis national economy. The prediction, however, later proved wrong due to correct measures taken by the BGMEA.

Watching no adverse impact of the withdrawal of MFA on the progress of RMG, the conspirators created series of unrest in the sector raising the issue of poor wages, unfriendly environment and unhealthy working conditions during mid 2006. A large number of factories, machineries and products were damaged. The then government after series of talks was successful in reconciliation between the workers and the BGMEA and the unrest came to end. Yet, many foreign buyers turned their faces from Bangladesh and chose new avenues.

Thus it was later observed from the export performance that the apparel sector during the first four moths of the current fiscal failed to catch the last fiscal level. The woven garments lagged behind by 9.34 percent and the knitwear by 0.56 percent. In the meantime, the European Union withdrew sanctions on China, the world's second largest economy at present. China has a reserve of $ 1.218 trillion and a trade surplus of $ 262.2 billion. So, it is hard to match the Chinese in international competition. But it is also true that the quality of the Bangladeshi products is no less inferior to that of China and as a result there can be no fear of avalanche.

One thing is true that standard quality of products are not sufficient. With this, friendly environment, good salary of the workers and healthy working conditions are also necessary. But destroying factories, burning buses and pelting stones on the Police cannot attain those. Negotiation and study of the conditions of the factories in China, India and Pakistan can improve the situation. Sadly, the vested groups do not want that. They are determined to torpedo the national interests. As over 95 percent workers are uneducated, and politically not conscious, it is easy to mislead them. And the best instrument is to spread rumours like death of workers, injury and missing. The workers never want to know the truth and respond to the vested groups.

The RMG workers do not know their extent of rights. What they are doing in Bangladesh would jeopardise own interest. Unfortunately, tthey are unable to realise it.

The RMG workers must not forget that unless the parent organisations are safe, they have no guarantee of work and eventually an income at the end of the month to which it relates. They should not be the easy victims of the anti-state elements.