The New Nation - Internet Edition

Securing the RMG sector

THERE is a semblance of peace in our garment factories which faced horrendous troubles last year. Even now, murmurings of discontent are heard in many garment industries. There are reasons to think that the same are externally instigated. Vested interests and rival conspirators were found to have backed the troubles last year as the downward slide of garment industries would help their own industries to grab more export market shares.

In many incidents last year, troubles erupted in garment industries with relatively better track record of labour-management relations. Reportedly, rumour mongers had a deliberate mischievous role in inciting violence. Misinformation was deliberately fed to workers that triggered their unrest to a degree that had probably no parallel in contemporary industrial relations in Bangladesh. The country's apex business associations opined that hidden hands behind the wings were at work to deal a powerful blow to the country's export-oriented garments sector. But the government does not seem to have gone on carrying out proper investigations in response to these suggestions.

There is every reason to apprehend that the conspirators could again trigger unrest and violence in the garment industries if they are not identified clearly and their potentials to incite the workers are not neutralised. There has been a substantial increase in garment exports over the last five months. Lack of competitiveness of China and the higher prices of apparels of Chinese origin are creating more interest among overseas buyers to place their orders in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now the lowest cost destination for the buyers and the opportunities arising from this factor must be exploited to the maximum through optimum increase in exports. The government must play its part to pre-empt any move by conspirators to destabilise the garment sector at this hour.

Brickfield operators must be regulated

BRICKS are made in the country by burning clays in moulds at kilns with firewood, gas or coal. But regulations are there for the brickfields not to burn firewood. The demand for firewood in the brick kilns leads to the cutting down of trees. Trees that give off oxygen and are needed so much for a healthy and salubrious environment, come directly under a threat from the unregulated activities of brick kiln operators. This was the reason for introducing regulations that imposed prohibition on brick burning with firewood and allowed burning with only gas or coal.

But it appears that the use of firewood is considered cheaper by the brick field owners and they resort to such use defying the law and regulations. The law needs to be vigorously applied in this area. Therefore, attention of the higher authorities ought to be directed to this problem. There are other regulations as well which the managers of the kiln ought to heed, such as building chimneys at a certain height and building the chimneys in such positions that their exhausts can be discharged towards relatively less inhabited places.

The brick field operators will have to be obliged to adhere to all of these rules by the authorities. As it is, many populated places in the country along with their vegetation are facing environmental degradation from the freestyle operation of the brick fields. People in such areas are found suffering from respiratory, skin diseases and other ailments. The diseases are considered the direct outcome of unregulated brick burning. The dying of trees due to the excessive fumes from brick fields are contributing to serious environmental decline. All of these things undeline the need for strict enforcement of regulations in relation to the brick fields.

Inter-faith conference in Madrid

Dr. M. S. Haq

It appears from an AFP dispatch from Riyadh - carried by The New Nation of Bangladesh on 07 July 2008 - Custodian of two Holiest Mosques of Islam and King of Saudi Arabia will launch an inter-faith conference in Spain later this month - from16 July to 18 July 2008 to be specific. The conference will be reportedly attended by representatives from People of Book of Almighty God - Jews, Christians and Muslims.

The conference is inter alia an outcome of King Abdullah's March 2008 proposal for inter-faith talks. The initiative and the timing plus the context of inter-faith conference appear prima-facie and as applicable to be appropriate, intelligent and forward looking. The move could, among other things, be considered as bold, constructive and free of narrow perceptions in pursuits of inter-faith reconciliation, per se. Congratulations!

Interesting though, the conference is taking place at the time when People of Book of Almighty God - Jews, Christians and Muslims - are in great need of positive developments in areas such as and as appropriate: one, re-establishment of missing links between and among them - I mean People of Book; two, rejuvenation and re-strengthening of faith-based common premises for common good; three, minimization, if not elimination of gaps between religious rhetoric and practices; four, reinventing self and societies in light of teachings of Holy Books of Almighty God under prevailing and evolving situations that are associated with say, life, living and continuity in the universe; five, liberation and protection of Almighty God's religions from say, misconception, misperception, misrepresentation, misunderstanding, misinterpretation, wrongful use, misuse, extremist's or terrorists' ideology, superstition, taboo and commercialism; six, more workable, result-oriented and sustainable strategies than those at present for peace, security, freedom, liberty, democracy, human rights, right to life, equity, equality, progress and prosperity for, as appropriate, all living things throughout the universe including inter alia human beings - on a continuous basis; seven, more efficient and effective implementation mechanics and follow-up regimes than those at present for above strategies; eight, mainstreaming knowledge, clues and other related things about say, universe transmitted to human beings and others by Almighty God via Holy Books in research, development and engineering (RDE) initiatives, as well as activities in areas of science, arts, engineering, technology and other branches of knowledge and application for ensuring maximum benefit to at least maximum number of people and other living beings (as applicable) on a continuous basis; and nine, rescuing human beings from moral, ethical and other kinds of degradation (used in a negative sense) in a sustainable fashion.

Taking into cognizance above and other related factors, it now appears challenges and opportunities of the conference will be, among other things, complex, inter-disciplinary, multi-dimensional, and of universe class - I would like to call it in that way.

Further, expectations about the outcome of conference are apparently running high due inter alia to nature, scope, place and stature of the conference.

It has, therefore, become incumbent upon the conference to focus on inter alia as to how to build consensus on a set of guiding principles and implementation mechanics that could facilitate taking the talk to next stages in pursuits of for example, formulating eventually a global action plan for enhancing and sustaining inter-faith support, inter-faith harmony, inter-faith cooperation and inter-faith coordination - aiming at meeting above challenges and harnessing above opportunities in the best and overall interest of living beings in the universe.

In that respect, it is expected challenges and opportunities concerning a further improvement of communication, interaction and relationship with the people other than known People of Book of Almighty God should be identified and examined with a view to promoting and sustaining world brotherhood and world sisterhood through the future.

The success of the conference would depend on inter alia: how best and quickest the participants could chart collectively a way forward in support of its missions and objectives. Wishing all the best to the inter-faith conference!

Corporate social responsibility: Bangladesh perspective

Mozidur Rahman Biswas

Speakers at the International Seminar on CSR organized by IUBAT expressed deep concern over the working atmosphere in both public and private sector in Bangladesh. They viewed that good corporate governance practices would help running every enterprise in a methodical way enabling them to gain confidence of customers as well as investors. . Terming CSR as the continuous learning process, the experts observed that all organizations will have to develop their collective competence by educating workforce and improving the overall management. They also suggested ways and means to improve the working atmosphere and operation by strictly adhering to key concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and disseminating this discipline in the entire organ of the organization concerned.

The speakers focused that CSR is related to social management and by strengthening this practice any organization can develop its operational management to achieve the goal. This would help deliver social compliance required for setting global standard for maximizing the value thereby enhancing competitiveness in the entire organization.

The first ever seminar on CSR, portrayed a gloomy picture and urged the policy makers at all levels to design a performance roadmap in conformity with set rules and core concept of CSR to develop a good management credential necessary to have a positive impact on the society. They made a clarion call to bring adequate improvement in working methodology and operational activities, in line with global changes to give a big push needed for reforms to ensure consistent product quality and overall improvement in management function.

The Centre for Management Development of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) organized daylong International Seminar on Corporate Social Responsibility in Bangladesh: Current Issues and Future Trends recently at the Main Auditorium of IDB Bhaban, Agargaon, Dhaka.

HE Dr Stefan Frowein, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh and HE Mr.Fritz Meijnder, Charge d'Affaires, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands were present on the occasion as Chief Guest and Special Guest.

Presided by Professor Mr. M Alimullah Miyan Vice-Chancellor and Founder of IUBAT the Seminar was conducted by number of high profile resource persons from Canada, India, UK, USA, the Netherlands and Bangladesh. Important persons from academia, intelligentsia, civil society, policy makers, business community, chambers, NGO's and elite of different strata of the society concerned with CSR related assignments attended

the seminar and took part in the deliberations.

Sponsored by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands the objective of the seminar was to provide a greater exposure to the key elements of CSR and argued for improving the performance of business organizations in both public and private sector in Bangladesh The speakers categorically differentiated charity from CSR, keeping the process more action oriented by instigating corporate values, cultures, business strategy and future sustainability. They also made it clear that organization's profit should reflect core-values and viewed that adherence to best practice of CSR regardless of any constraints would help earning greater profit.

Adding further the speakers explained that the application of CSR oriented operation policy will help achieve optimum production for generating optimum profit, provided the companies concerned maintained a good image for themselves as socially responsible employers demonstrating a genuine intention to contribute growth and development of the country. They also maintained that CSR will help advance economic and social well being enabling people around to realize the full potential.

Keeping in view all these vital issues the seminar underscored the need to craft fare rules and regulation to this effect for excellently managing the business within the broad framework of socio- economic development.

They examined the rationale for the adoption of CSR initiatives in management function, community development, corporate sustainability, accountability and professional development for safeguarding the interest of any organization.

HE Dr. Stefan Frowein, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh inaugurating the Seminar as the Chief Guest expressed the hope that Bangladesh will march ahead with good practice of CSR in every sectors utilizing its major components in their overall strategy for improving the operational activities in their respective areas.

Speaking on the occasion as special guest Mr. Fritz Meijndert, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands called upon the professionals in all organizations to enforce CSR policies that reflect public concern about the environment, human resource diversity and to ensure distribution of income to meet the existing challenges in the society.

Number of resource persons from home and abroad presented valuable papers highlighting various key elements and core -concepts of CSR suggesting dissemination of its good components to every organ of all companies to act as a catalyst for significant commercial benefit of the organization concerned.

Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb, Professor, Penn State University, USA, in his key note address observed that the perfect implementation of CSR could bring positive changes in working atmosphere dynamising management procedure helping the government to ensure social responsibility in a country like Bangladesh. He was of the opinion that CSR strategy delivers a strong and positive message that the company is ethically and socially responsible and contributing to the country's overall economic development.

Dr D Rajasenan, International Centre for Economic Policy Analysis, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala & Engr. K. Vijayachandran, Chairman, Cochin Centre for Policy Initiatives, Kerala, India in their respective paper detailed professional views on CSR methodology calling upon responsible persons in every hierarchy to motivate working manpower to obtain maximum benefit for the society.

In the technical session Dr Rodney J Reed, Company Chairman of Reed Consulting (Bangladesh) Ltd integrating CSR into a company human resource manual, detailed the necessity that organizations in both public and private sectors have to behave in socially responsible way to meet the generalized requirement of the society.

Prof H Eric Frank formerly with the University of Bath, UK presently visiting Professor of IUBAT in his paper pointed to competitive advantage through social responsibility, presented the ethical consumerism that customers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social implications of their day-to-day consumer decisions and are making purchasing decisions according to their environmental and ethical concerns.

Mr Edward Probir Mondol reflecting on CSR shrimp sector in Bangladesh noted that Bangladeshi shrimp exporters continued to suffer from real problems but despite that they maintained their efforts to upgrade product quality and safety in accordance with the guidelines of FAO of the United Nations.

Prof Mohammad Raihanul Haque, faculty of IUBAT detailing CSR challenges in the country said that corporate social responsibility is a truly sensitizing concept for local industries.

He was of the opinion that the leaders in business and industrial arena will have to demonstrate good corporate practices and professional excellence to boost investor's confidence, which in turn enhances both domestic and international investment.

Giving an overview of Canadian experience Mr. Nicholas Genis highlighted that implementation of CSR is broadly comparable to other advanced economics and the niche companies and organizations in Canada utilize this discipline as a major component in their overall corporate strategy.

Professor Akbar Hossain, Adjunct Professor of IUBAT in his paper, Social Compliance Foster Productivity, cited an old saying that people are the best asset in a company rather than expensive machine, if our people stay in peace they will be concentrating more in ensuring quality and quantity. .

The ending session dealt with vital CSR components and examined the ground reality at the field level. Speakers pointed out that the existing challenges have to be addressed with adequate measures suggesting policy making bodies to design pragmatic decision to strengthen corporate practices.

The round up discussion critically examined important features of corporate social responsibility and asked the competent authorities in all sectors to continue relentless efforts to change the scenario by administrative measures for recording significant changes in CSR initiatives.

Number of participants pointed out that various anomalies are prevalent in every strata of society to hinder CSR practices and called upon the professionals at all levels to evolve policy guidelines to establish strong corporate discipline necessary to strengthen capacity building efforts.

Summing up the discussion Prof M Alimullah Miyan who chaired the session, said that this seminar would herald a new beginning enabling all professionals to participate in fruitful discussions and debates to help evolve and implement CSR practices in a desired manner to materialize the dream of this country- to attain a good standing in local and international markt.

Opinion: Agri-varsity in the city

Professor M Zahidul Haque

This refers to a letter by one Mr. Mostafiz (ref: New Nation dt.7/7/08) which he has written in support of one Prof.SAM's letter, which published in 'The Daily Star' dt.4/7/08 on the above subject. In reality, the letter of Prof.SAM had never been published in 'The New Nation'! Still Mr.Mostafiz has quoted it in his letter under reference. I smell some fishy things in these two gentlemen's intention behind start writing on a issue which is totally irrelevant and uncalled for! Anyway I would like to give the same reply which I have already dispatched to the Daily Star.

Disapproving the existence of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) inside the capital city, Dhaka, Prof. SAM has suggested to correct the mistake in establishing SAU at the present location. Well, for his kind information I would like to say that it took nearly 20 years for the charismatic leader Sher-e- Bangla A K Fazlul Haq to make this costly mistake of establishing SAU, the then Bengal Agricultural Institute in the heart of Dhaka. It was in 1938 Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haq

being the Chief Minister of Bengal had succeeded in convincing the then British Govt. to setting up this historical agriculture institution (now SAU) in Dhaka so that students from remotest parts of Bengal (particularly East Bengal) could come here to get advanced and modern education in the field of agricultural science. Since then this institution till today has been performing a pioneering role in the promotion of agricultural education, research and extension. Isn't it logical to have an agric varsity in the capital city of the agro-based Bangladesh where students from different parts of Bangladesh come to pursue higher agricultural education?

Of course with acquiring of land by the govt. at present, the SAU is remained with nearly 85 acres of land out of its original more than 300 acres acquired by the then British govt. In order to keeping the farm-based education and research run smoothly, the govt. has already created provision in the latest development project for strengthening of SAU for setting up farms and new faculties like fisheries and animal science outside the Dhaka campus through acquisition of land near Dhaka.

Prof. SAM who didn't mention the name of the university/college he is serving also asked to merge SAU with Bangabandhu Agric Varsity. The question is, whether it is possible to merge one university to another? Would Prof.SAM appreciate merging his college/university with another one?

Prof. SAM has only mentioned about the existence of three public universities situated within the same agro-ecological zone. But there is at least one private agric varsity namely, International University of Business Agriculture & Technology (IUBAT) which is located in the same zone (Uttara). As far as I know, some reputed private universities in the Dhaka city are contemplating to open agriculture school/faculty for offering up-to-date agric education with a view to ensuring food security and development of the country.

Meanwhile for the information of Mr.Mostafiz I would like to say that there is Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science & Technology in the Nothern zone of the country(Dinajpur) which is an agric, varsity and a Faculty of Agriculture at Rajshahi University.

So, instead of asking to shift SAU elsewhere, everyone should suggest us how to improve our course curriculum and instructions.