The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) issued an ultimatum on Monday urging the government to provide security to the readymade garments (RMG) factories within a week. The association would launch an action programme to realise their demand. The ultimatum is a reflection of the very distressed conditions facing the RMG industry as a whole. The RMG industry has continued to suffer from ruinous troubles with the pattern of few workers egged on by outsiders that led to burning, pillaging and other destructive activities against RMG units for the last two years. Security agencies found out that elements external to the sector were encouraging the violence. But this has not led to follow up actions.

Meanwhile, a leading vernacular daily reported in its recent issue that 40 per cent of the garments industries have shut down operation in the course of the last two years from various troubles. The registered number of garments industries is 4,625 and out of them 1,885 have closed down. Apart from labour troubles and inability to meet the rising demands of workers, these industries also brought down their shutters due to falling prices of products in importing countries, increasing reluctance by the local banks to support the sector, insufficiency of gas and power and related infrastructural troubles.

Thus, it is high time for the government to give very focussed attention to this sector as it is one of the two main pillars on which the viability of the entire economy is dependent. The government should ease the infrastructural problems of this sector taking emergency measures. More significant would be the engaging of the law enforcement bodies with much greater effectiveness to guard the industries. The government should also consider the establishment of a separate ministry - exclusively and immediately - to give focused attention to this sector.