The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Knitwear businessmen yesterday sought the administrative help from the Commerce Minister to tackle the newly mushrooming miscreants in 'jhut' (garment-waste) business.

"We've started feeling insecure with the recent emergence of so-called 'jhut' (garment-waste) businesses in different areas," a BKMEA leader reportedly told Commerce Minister Lt Col (retd) Farook Khan during a meeting at his ministry.

A delegation of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), led by its president AKM Fazlul Haque, met the new commerce minister to discuss various issues of their business.

Meeting sources said the BKMEA leaders urged the Commerce Minister to instruct the local administrations, particularly in Dhaka, Chittagong, Narayanganj and Gazipur, for immediate steps to rein in the new troublemakers in the economy's second highest export earning sector.

BKMEA president Fazlul Haque said the disturbances in the garment-waste business have been a serious obstacle to the development of the sector. He sought administrative steps to ensure highest security in the garment and knitwear business sector.

There are allegations that some local musclemen groups, with political influence, have recently emerged in different apparel industrial areas to control the garment-waste business.

Such conflicts between the old garment-waste business groups and new ones often lead to untoward incidents, which ultimately create troubles in the garment business.

Responding to the appeal of the knitwear business leaders, the Commerce Minister suggested them to first inform the local police station for action against miscreants.

"If the local thana fails to take action, please call me over my mobile phone, then I'll look into the matter," he told the leaders and also assured them of ensuring highest security in the garment and knitwear sector.

The BKMEA leaders informed the minister that the knitwear sector has achieved a 34 percent growth despite the global recession.

They said there is no such situation in the global market that could yet cause any major setback to Bangladesh knitwear industry.

They, however, urged the Commerce Minister to form a taskforce as a precautionary measure to deal with any possible impact of the global economic downturn.

The BKMEA leaders suggested the government for increasing cash incentives to the sector and also administrative help for the sick industries.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) also separately met the Commerce Minister.