The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday categorically said the government wouldn't tolerate anymore chaotic situation in the export-oriented garment sector and urged the factory owners to ensure all types of requisite facilities for the workers.

Inaugurating the 5th Bangladesh Knitwear Exhibition 2009, she pointed out that with the present low-scale salaries the garment workers find it very difficult to make both ends meet.

Drawing attention of the apparel industries' owners to a stark disparity, the Prime Minister said in many cases, the money spent on a day's shopping by an owner is more than the monthly salary of a garment worker.

"We do not expect such a reality. One thing you (owners) have to keep in mind that by oppressing the workers and depriving them, no industry can sustain," said Sheikh Hasina, who heads coalition government of the centre-left grand alliance.

Incidentally, the rude reminder from the Prime Minister came barely three days after violent clashes at a Tongi garment factory following abrupt layoff left three people dead and over a hundred wounded-a latest outbreak in a string of unrest in different belts of the apparel industry that employs nearly 3 million workers.

The Prime Minister called upon the owners to ensure economic uplift of the workers.

About the brewing industrial unrest in the sector, Sheikh Hasina urged the owners to find out the reasons behind the workers' discontent.

Terming the workforce as the "driving wheels" of the apparel industry, the Prime Minister said workers' efficiency and labor is inevitable for an industry's development.

She noted that her government is always active to uphold the rights of the workers and already has taken several important measures for their welfare.

"In fact, overall activities of an industry can be operated smoothly if a good relation prevails between its owners and workers," she told the inaugural function of the apparel show.

She said owners and workers both would have to be brought under government's investigation process if any further violent incident occurred in the main export sector of the country.

About the violent incidents that took place on October 31 in Gazipur, the Prime Minister said the government with a strong hand curbed the outbreaks of violence.

"Those who want to destroy this sector are enemies of our economy and workers. All will have to remain alert against the evil quarter," the Prime Minister said in a strongly worded note of warning.

Referring to a demand of the BKMEA for providing them land in the capital city to set up their official headquarters, she said the knitwear-sector association could turn their Narayanganj headquarters into a modern one.

Already, the government has decided to set up

Gazipur-Dhaka-Narayanganj elevated expressway and introduce modern railways and waterways linking these areas.

Sheikh Hasina suggested the apparel industries' owners to take financial assistance from government's housing fund to set dormitories for garment workers, specially for the female workers as they are 80 percent of the total workforce of this sector.

About the government-sponsored stimulus package of Tk 4,000 crore to face the fallout of the global economic recession, the Prime Minister said now which sector to take how much in their share from the package depends on the respective sector.

She said to increase import and investment, the government has already reduced the interest rates on bank loans from 16/17 to 12/13 and steps have been taken to bail out the country's 270 sick industries.

Sheikh Hasina advised the industrial owners to explore new markets of RMG products in the rich countries of the Middle East and Africa as these new markets will reduce dependence of Bangladesh on the markets of the United States and Europe.

"If you can do this, very soon Bangladesh will have world's number-one position in exporting garment products," Sheikh Hasina said.

Bangladesh gets the maximum of its annual export earnings from the readymade garment sector-around 76 percent of the total export target. The country's total export target for the current fiscal year is 17 billion US dollars-and over $12 billion is expected from this sector (woven-wear and knitwear combined).

She said the government has asked its foreign missions to work for exploring apparel market and steps have already been taken for setting up new mission offices in many countries.

Regarding the long-running electricity crisis, the Prime Minister said through hard work and proper management the new government has succeeded in adding some 700MW electricity to the national grid since its assumption of office. And it is being expected that an additional quantum of 700MW electricity will be added to the grid by the end of this year.

She said the government has planned to generate furthermore 4,110 megawatts of electricity by 2013--2810MW will come from public sector while 1350MW from private sector.

Already, the government has called tender for setting up 8 rental power plants which will generate 530MW electricity.

Sheikh Hasina urged the owners to use solar-energy system at their offices, which will help them use more electricity in their factories.

Hasina said if gas could be extracted from the deep sea, it would help Bangladesh remove its electricity crisis to a large extent.

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has arranged the three-day knitwear exhibition at the Sheraton Hotel. Around 153 buyers and investors from across the world are expected to attend the clothing fair.

Finance Minister Dr Abul Mal Abdul Muhith, Labor and Employment Minister Khandaker Musharraf Hossain and Commerce Minister Faruk Khan also addressed the function.

BKMEA president Fazlul Haque gave the welcome address of the function attended by Ministers, Advisers to the Prime Minister, State Minister, MPs, and local and foreign investors.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Ministers for Finance, Labor and Employment, and Commerce were given honorary crests by the organizers.