The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The first ever-rationing system for the garments workers in the country begins tomorrow (Monday).

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has initiated the generous move for providing rice to the workers at subsidised price.

The move is expected to ease the sufferings of the garments workers resulting from the price spiral of essentials.

BKMEA would start selling rice at concession rate from 12 noon of the day at Fatullah in Narayanganj and the BSCIC industrial area. Labour and Employment Adviser Anwarul Iqbal will inaugurate the programme.

The decision to introduce rationing system for garment workers came after a fruitful meeting between the government and the BKMEA.

BKMEA would have to provide Tk 10 as subsidy for each Kg of rice.

BKMEA President Fazlul Huq said each worker would get four kg's of rice a week form the BKMEA outlets. BKMEA would also revise worker wages in a couple of months, he added.

"We will continue the sale until the price of rice in the markets come within the purchasing capacity of the workers," he mentioned.

Nearly one million people 70 percent of them women, are now directly associated with RMG sector while five million others are indirectly involved in this export oriented industry.

With an average growth rate of 20 percent in the last 10 years, the knitwear export earned the country $ 3.47 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, he said.

Export of readymade garment's earned $9.12 billion which is 75.64 percent of the national export earnings in fiscal 2006-07 and $ 6.76 billion or $ 76.23 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.