The New Nation - Internet Edition

RMG sector faces acute labour crisis: Most seek jobs in UAE, China, Vietnam

Syful Islam

Acute labour shortage in the Readymade Garment (RMG) sector is causing low productivity leaving the industry owners at dire state, stakeholders say.

The labour crisis is also causing late shipment of orders resulting cancellation of those, they added.

Factory owners fail to get adequate labour even after appointing agents to recruit the same.

Stakeholders say low wages and pressure of high price of commodities forced the workers to leave the sector and find new jobs. They also said a big number of skilled garment workers left the country for United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and China to earn higher salaries.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) leaders said the sector is facing shortage of 25 per cent skilled labours and midlevel employees. The crisis is increasing in the last few months.

BGMEA Director and managing Director of Envoy Group Abdus Salam Murshedi said the RMG industry is facing severe labour shortage that is hindering production. They have appointed agents to find out labour for the factories but those fail to supply the same.

Explaining the reasons of labour crisis he said Vietnam, UAE and China has invested huge amount in RMG sector in the recent past. But those countries have no adequate labour of their own. As a result they are hiring cheap labour from Bangladesh. He said thousands of labour left Bangladesh in the last six months.

Murshedi identified inflation as another reason of labour crisis in the RMG sector. "The salary hike of RMG workers is no enough comparing the cost of living. This is also forcing workers to find other jobs," he said.

He emphasised on enhancing skill of workers through training, as number of unemployed people in the country is huge. He said the RMG business may go out of control of Bangladesh unless adequate skilled labour were produced through government-private sector joint initiatives.

BGMEA in a research paper mentioned that the cost of living in the RMG sector increased by 10 per cent comparing to march 2007. The workers are changing factories frequently to chase high salary.

President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Fazlul Huq said the shortage of labour in the RMG industry remains always but the present scenario is totally different.

He said previously they got huge response when put advertisement in the newspaper seeking workers'. But now they get low response despite repeated advertisement.

Sources said an entry-level worker gets Tk 1,662 as salary under the enhanced wages structure. They get Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500 after working for 3 months. On the other hand a skilled labour gets Tk 3,000 as salary. But they get huge salary in the garment factories in Vietnam, China and UAE. The factory owners are providing free air tickets to take labours' from Bangladesh.

The end game

Hasnat Abdul Hye

By all appearances, the present caretaker government is serious about holding election to the Jatiya Sangsad. The road map for this was announced in all earnest by the Election Commission with the concurrence of the government. Recently, the Chief Adviser in his address to the nation mentioned that general election would be held on 18 December of this year.

Both the announcements gave credence to the commitment of the government to transfer power within two years of the declaration of emergency. Now the Law Adviser has told in public that the current caretaker government will call it a day on December 31 when its tenure will end.

Almost all the political parties are anxious to participate in the general election and are now active in discussion among themselves and with the authorities. Though election fever has not caught on yet, the anticipation for it is palpable. Yet an air of uncertainty seems to prevail. This is because from both sides conditions have been attached for participation in the election. The government wants the political parties to be registered within the stipulated date complying with the provisions of the amended Representation of People’s Order (RPO) 2008 and hold election under the Emergency Power Rules. Most of the political parties have accepted the amended RPO and are in the process of submitting the registration forms. But the four party alliance has asked for withdrawal of the RPO while the Awami League wants further amendments, particularly the provision of rejecting nomination of a candidate after it is declared valid.

Regarding emergency, except a few all the political parties have demanded its withdrawal. The government wants registration of parties under the amended RPO to streamline, help democratisation and to remove irregularities in the parties.

Most of the parties consider some provisions of RPO as hindrance to their smooth functioning and as undesirable restriction on participation in election. Based on their objections, particularly with regard to paucity of time to comply with some of the requirements like revision of constitution and fulfilment of the quota for women, the Election Commissioner has now declared that no further amendment in the RPO will be made 'under any

circumstances. The caretaker government’s stand on withdrawal of emergency has also been firm and categorical. It has informed the parties that while some provisions will be kept in abeyance during the election, emergency will remain in force to ensure an atmosphere of peace and order.

It has become obvious by now that while the government is committed to holding election, the goal set earlier for political reforms is equally important. The caretaker government is convinced that without political reform election will bring back the same politics of confrontation, violence and corruption as before. To prevent this from happening the application of amended RPO is considered essential. As regards continuance of emergency, government’s motive is not so explicit. While it is being justified publicly on

Melamine in powder milk: DU defends lab test

Police snatching away the banner of Samajtantrik
Mahila Parishad from its members while they were trying to
form a human chain at the city's Muktangan on Saturday
demanding exemplary punishment to the importers of
melamine-tainted powdered milk. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Teachers of the Department of Chemistry of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday were critical of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) for its incompetence to find traces of melamine in eight powder milk brands of multinational companies.

They also said that the melamine test result from DU Laboratory was 'accurate.'

The result showed all the eight brands of milk contain melamine ranging between 40 milligram per kg to 450 milligram per kg.

The department followed the methodologies published in the International Scientific Papers and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of USA when it conducted the test of the products, the teachers said at a press briefing held at the Chemistry Department.

Presence of melamine in any amount is dangerous for human consumption since it is not a food raw material, and it's also not a food preservative, according to health experts.

They said sustained use could cause kidney stones and renal failure, especially among the young.

Head of the melamine research team Prof Nilufar Nahar, Chairman of the Department, Dr Tajmeri SA Islam, former Chairman Prof Abu Jafar Mahmood, Prof Dr Anwarul Islam and Dr Mohammed Arif were present at the briefing.

"We organised the press conference prompted by a sense of duty to make public know about this very urgent children health issue," said Prof Tajmeri.

She said, "We received the samples in plastic bottles on September 22 from the BSTI and engaged our senior scientists in the research.

The team found the result after three weeks of hard work, which was than handed over to the BSTI in a sealed envelop on October 15.

"Since the samples were sent by the BSTI, we felt that BSTI should take the lead to disclose the details of the report," Prof Tajmeri said.

Prof Nilufar said BSTI created confusion in public mind by giving misleading reports to the media tarnishing the image of the Dhaka University.

"We were left with no other option but to inform the people ourselves," she added.

She described to the journalists the details of procedure and methods adopted for detecting melamine in milk samples.

"The supplied milk samples were analysed for melamine content by following standard procedures and methodologies," she said.

Solvents, chemicals, reagents, which were required for analysis were either from Merck, Germany or from BDH England, she confirmed.

Prof Nilufar also said melamine was extracted from the milk, cleaned-up and analysed by HPLC-PDA (High performance liquid chromatography having photo diode array detector).

The result showed Nido Fortified Instant contains highest level of melamine, 450miligram per kg and Dano contains lowest level of melamine, 40 miligram per kg.

Other brands, Sweet baby-2, contains 280, in Yashli-1 the level is 140, Yashli-2 holds 290, Anline 200, Diploma 230, and Red Cow 300, milligram per kg melamine.

Regarding a private laboratory, Plasma Plus, findings that has found melamine in only one brand, Yashili 1 milk powder, Prof Nilufar did not say anything.

Sources close to the Plasma Plus said, Plusma Plus is equipment supplier and they don't usually conduct any research.

Though BSTI claimed they have done the tests, sources confirmed that BSTI has no HPLC facilities, which is approved by the FDA.

Meanwhile, representatives of the three multinational companies out of eight, whose products tested positive for melamine content, will meet with the Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman today to explain their product standard.

The three foreign companies are Nestle Bangladesh Limited, Arlafood Bangladesh Limited and New Zealand Dairy Milk Product Limited.

Asian University for women to forge a new Asian identity: CA

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday hoped that the newly launched Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong would help forge a new Asian identity by bringing women from across Asia to benefit a region where economic prosperity has accrued unevenly.

"For here in Asia, the most successful new economies in the world today exist side by side with the largest concentration of the poor in the world. A new Asian identity, I believe, can help this region turn the extraordinary economic strides made by a few Asian countries, known as 'Asian Miracle', into a truly Asian phenomenon," he said.

The Chief Adviser, also the Chief Patron of the Asian University for Women, was addressing a function of the university at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

Grameen Bank founder and Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, Acting Vice-chancellor of AUW Dr Hoon Eng Koo, chairman of the board of the AUW Support Foundation Jack Meyer, co-chair of the AUW International Support Committee Lone Dybkjaer, president and CEO of AUW Support Foundation Dr Kamal Ahmed and board member of Goldman Sachs Foundation and member board of AUW Support Foundation Kathy Matsui also spoke at the function.

The AUW started its journey through access academy's programme of students in March 2008. The Academy is now a home to a remarkably enthusiastic group of 130 young women from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Addressing the function, the CA mentioned some features of the university which impressed him and said the AUW can make an important contribution towards fostering excellence in higher education by actively engaging in recruiting the most gifted students from across Asia and the faculties from allover the world.

He appreciated the university's commitment to be open to students from different socioeconomic, religious, ethnic and national backgrounds, and its decision to reserve one-half of its new enrollments for students who are the first in their families to enter university.

"As the higher education runs the risk of becoming a purview of the economically well-off and the socially privileged to some extent, the AUW can help a new pathway for families to break the vicious cycle of social exclusion. The results will just not fairness of opportunity but also the ability to harness new talents in the service of our communities," Fakhrudidn told the function.

He hoped that the AUW would definitely be able to create a new pathway of turning new citizens and different citizens of the world.

Mentioning large-scale global mobilization of support triggered by the AUW and contributions of various world noted personalities and institutions, the CA said the thing what brings all together in the power of this idea is not only in changing the landscape of higher education but also unleashing the potential of half of our population.

"It's indeed a high time that we recognize this simple truth-no sustainable development can occur without the other half of our people fully engaging in the work of our nation," he said.

The CA hoped that the AUW would grow to be a true beacon inspiring generations of women to aspire and pursue the best education they can.

Addressing the function, Nobel laureate Prof Yunus said the AUW would be a melting pot for Asia and the world as well for creating new human being and new citizens. "It's a historic moment today because we want to make the dream true."

He said the AUW would act as a bridge to bring together languages, religions, nationalities, attitudes and values to make a new human being.

Prof Yunus said the AUW students would be problem-solvers, not castle-builders, and do not loose their feet from their soil.

He hoped that the daughters of the common people would get access to the university.

Later, the students of the AUWN Access Academy representing India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Bangladesh presented an impressive cultural programme at the function.

AL receives govt invitation for dialogue

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) has decided to join the third round of dialogue with the government after AL acting president Zillur Rahman received an invitation from the government side on Friday.

Source said one of the advisers of the caretaker government talked to Zillur Rahman over telephone on Friday evening and invited him to join the dialogue. AL acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam conveyed the decision to the newsmen at his NAM apartments yesterday.

"We will finalise the date of the dialogue with the government after discussion with party leaders," Ashraf added.

Asked about the agenda of the meeting he said," We will put top most priority to the issue of unconditional release of party chief Sheikh Hasina and complete withdrawal of state of emergency."

He also said the issue of bringing reform within the constitutional institutions such as Election Commission (EC), Public Service Commission (PSC), Judiciary and others would be discussed.

Global price cut leaves no impact in local market

Pulack Ghatack

Slow response to global price cuts against speedy response to rumours of price hikes has been contributing to inflation in Bangladesh.

Market in Bangladesh is still warm though prices of foodstuff and other commodities fell sharply in the international markets. The average inflation rose to 10.01 per cent in August 2008 from 7.78 per cent a year ago, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimates.

Inflation, in point to point estimates, however, showed an insignificant drop to 10.11 per cent in August from 10.82 per cent in July, BBS sources said.

As a result of rising food prices and general inflation, more than half of the country's 145 million population is now food insecure and nearly one-third is understood as severely food insecure, a combined report by FAO and WFP says.

The wholesale and retail prices of coarse rice, the nation's major food staple, have increased by 78 and 82 per cent, respectively, from June 2006 to June 2008.

Rapid price rise of rice and other essential foods is putting immense pressure on the poor urban and rural households, forcing them to abandon consumption of protein foods and causing an increase in malnutrition at all levels.

However, the ongoing financial turbulence has shaken the global commodity market resulting in shedding prices of fuel, edible oil, rice and cereals significantly.

The financial crisis, creating a credit and liquidity crunch, has resulted in sell-offs in major commodities and pushed the prices down worldwide.

Oil price, which hit a record at $147.27 a barrel in July this year, now hovers around $75. Prices of rice and edible oil also went down much in the last couple of months.

But, the businessmen and the policymakers in Bangladesh are yet to respond to the global price. Prices of edible oil, which slide heavily in the world market, slipped slightly in the domestic market in view of a hue and cry by the media.

The Finance Minister Mirza AB Azizul Islam last month pledged to review oil prices in the domestic market responding to its global price, which is yet to be materialised.

Meanwhile, the number of Bangladesh's poor, who make up nearly half of its 153 million population, are rising because of high food prices, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest report published on Thursday.

Although Bangladesh's macroeconomic growth has been "remarkably resilient" amid last year's repeated natural disasters and global increases in food and fuel prices, life has become more difficult for a large segment of its population, the IMF said.

According to a report of FAO and WFP, Bangladesh's undernourished population has increased by 7.3 million -- from 39.6 million to 46.9 million -- largely because of the impact of higher food prices and the damage of Aman rice last year.

The report says that the increase in food prices has raised the number of the Absolute Poor by 9 million people, to a total of 80 million (58.3 in rural and 21.4 in urban), and raised the prevalence of undernourishment to over 55 percent.

Bangladesh had estimated that more than 40 per cent of its people live below the poverty line, but the recent food crisis and cost of living increases have added significant numbers to the poverty list.

Students demand reduction of admission form fees

DU Correspondent

Progotishil Chhatra Jote, a platform of left leaning student organisations, will lay siege around the Dhaka University branches of Janata, Sonali and Agrani Bank to stop selling of admission forms at an enhanced price.

The selling and submission of admission forms is supposed to begin today. But it is now uncertain due to calling strike by Progotishil Chhatra Jote and Madrasah background students threat as they will create obstruction to selling of admission form until the university authority would withdraw the condition imposed upon them.

The condition is, Madrasah students could not seek admission in eight departments of the university since they do not study English and Bangla of 200 marks each in SSC level.

The price of admission form for each unit was fixed at Tk 300, which was earlier Tk 250.

The organisations yesterday staged a demonstration on the university campus and held a rally at the Aparajeyo Bangla.

Students of the organisations urged the university authority to reduce the price escalation of the admission form. Otherwise, the authority would not be allowed to sell admission forms, they said.

Madrasah students storm DU VC`s office

DU Correspondent

A group of Dhaka University (DU) students under the banner of Bangladesh Madrasah Students Movement Council yesterday vandalised the vice-chancellor's office, as the university authority didn't lift the restriction imposed on madrasah background students not to get admission in eight departments. Witnesses said a group of students went to the VC office to meet him at around 4:00 pm while VC Prof SMA Faiz was presiding over a Dean`s meeting at his lounge.

Later, some students of the group met VC and urged him to lift the condition that was taken earlier. But the VC told them in a word as it was impossible for him to change the decision. Then they threatened VC, as they would stop the selling of admission form if the authority did not fulfil their demand.

Besides, waiting students, outside the VC office, became furious and started vandalising the office by pelting brickbats.

The angry students vandalised the windowpanes of VC office and his lounge but no one was injured during the incident.

Later the students left the place and later, police forces visited the spot.

"Around 150 to 200 students suddenly entered the VC office at around 3:45 pm and started smashing up the window panes of the office when another team of 30 t0 35 students were talking to the VC about the admission restriction", DU VC office official Munshi Shamsuddin Ahmed told reporters.

The unruly students, probably most of them having madrasah background, continued the attack on the VC office for at least five to seven minutes ransacking almost all the windowpanes including two doors, chairs and wall watches and left the place heroically, Ahmed added.

DU Proctor AK Feroze Ahmed said that they would file a case against a large number of unknown students, as the university authority couldn't identify anybody of the picketers.

The proctor asked the law enforcing agencies to tight their security measures at the TSC area, as the attackers threatened to stop issuing the first-year honours admission forms today (Sunday).

VC SMA Faiz said, the occurrence the agitators have caused was unimaginable and heinous. They have made the most scandalous chapter in the history of DU since its inception in 1921 smashing up the VC office, he said.

Faiz said who have ransacked the VC office were not eligible of being DU students, they must be arrested and awarded exemplary punishment.

In reply to a query, the VC asserted that no one of the picketers whether they were DU students or outsiders could escape the punishment, as the inspector general of police assured him of stern actions against the responsible.

Asking all concerned to be aware so that no untoward incident can take place on the campus, the VC said everything of the university should go as usual.

Till writing this report Saturday night, a syndicate meeting was going on to decide what type of actions the university authority would take against the responsible students.