The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association on Saturday decided to leave the board of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a platform of North American retailers working to improve safety in the Bangladesh garment sector. The BGMEA took the decision at a board meeting held at its head quarters in the city. The decision came following a strong criticism from Alliance about the comment made by BGMEA president Atiqul Islam regarding the activities of the retailers’ platform. At a meeting on June 15 the BGMEA president described Alliance and Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, an EU retailers’ initiative, as a ‘big problem’ for the Bangladesh’s readymade apparel industry. At the same meeting, finance minister AMA Muhith described Alliance and Accord as a ‘noose for the garment industry’. On June 19, Alliance expressed its deep concern over the comments made by the finance minister and the BGMEA president. Alliance urged prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her government to clarify their position over the ongoing efforts to improve safety in the RMG sector. It also criticised Atiq for his comment. ‘At the meeting, we have discussed issues of financing by the International Finance Corporation to upgrade safety standards and to implement corrective action plans as prescribed by Accord and Alliance,’ said a director of the BGMEA on Saturday. He said, ‘We have decided to quit from the board of Alliance as we cannot remain there damaging the image of our organisation.’ Another BGMEA director said, ‘We have differences with Alliance on a number of issues. Ifwe remain in the board of the platform, we will not be able to criticise its faults.’ As the BGMEA board has given consent to leave the Alliance’s board, the BGMEA president will resign within a day or two, meeting sources said. ‘We have discussed whether we would stay in or leave the board of Alliance,’ said BGMEA vice-president Reaz Bin Mahmood adding that the final decision would be made after discussing with the government.
