The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Commerce Minister Col (retd) Faruk Khan yesterday said the recent violence in garment manufacturing units in Ashulia was unleashed by a vested quarter in a preplanned way to slow down the country's export-oriented industry.

"Neither a factory owner nor a worker can see a garment factory burning down because it's like a baby to them. Something else is behind it," he apprehended.

The minister made the remarks while addressing the publication ceremony of a book titled 'Bangladesh RMG Industry: Competitiveness and Productivity' at a city hotel in the afternoon.

He said the government would fairly investigate the incident to find out the real cause behind it.

The Commerce Minister said the government would put in place a labor code in the problematic RMG areas, especially Ashulia, to fend off such incidents in the future.

BKMEA president Fazlul Haque, author of the book Dr Abu Yusuf M Abdullah and Scholars Bangladesh president ME Chowdhury Shamim also spoke on the occasion.

Faruk Khan said the government would extend its cooperation to the RMG sector in enhancing its productivity and urged the opposition to work together with the government for the development of the sector.

"We shouldn't do politics with the RMG sector issues," he said urging all to discard destructive activities and maintain a peaceful environment in the important RMG sector.