Garments sector owners are not law enforcers. Therefore, it is up to the law enforcers or the government overall to take decisive actions against these elements at the fastest. For at stake is the future of our garment industries, one of few pillars on which stands the economy of Bangladesh That the government will build a garment village in Chittagong similar to the hub currently being built at Bausia in Munshiganj, that the entrepreneurs will make efforts to boost apparel exports to reach $ 50 billion by 2021, these and other such publicities are highly encouraging and exciting information. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed mainly expressed these optimistic views at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day Bangladesh Apparel and Safety Exposition (BASEXPO-2015) at Hotel Radisson Blue Chittagong on August 6. Bangladesh is producing and exporting quality garment products abroad at the lowest possible prices. Credit goes to the owners of RMG units throughout the country and the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association). The position of Bangladeshi garment products is next to China. There are immense possibilities for further expansion of this vital sector. This sector is creating employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people, contributing to the country’s GDP growth and poverty alleviation and enhancing the country’s image in the international community. But it is also high time to safeguard this all too important economic sector from all kinds of conspiracies and mal intentioned activities so that it can remain steady in reaching its goals. For it is worrying to note that nefarious activities are going on to jeopardize this sector. A section of labour organizations are up and doing to deliberately engineer unrest in this sector according to credible media reports. Allegedly, the leaders of these so-called organizations are demanding extortion like money from the owners of garment industries. If their demands are not met, they are instigating the workers against the owners. What is surprising is that the leaders of these organizations, including some female ones, are often seen traveling to foreign countries to campaign for realizing the so called rights of the workers. Some garment-related NGOs are bearing the expenses of their foreign tours. Reportedly, these NGOs are getting substantial financial assistance from foreign sources on the condition that the former will create unrest in the garment factories on the plea of persecution of workers. The labour wing of the police prepared an investigating report on this and submitted the same to the Prime Minister’s office and the BGMEA. The leaders of at least 20 garment industry related organizations keep on traveling to USA, European and Asian countries frequently. The report goes on to say their sole intention is to create a negative image of Bangladeshi garment products and the government of Bangladesh to the outside world so that foreign buyers lose interest to buy our garment products. It has become imperative for the government to take a tough stand in this regard. The persons connected with this heinous design are already identified. It is a puzzle why they have not been subjected to the due process of the law so far. Garments sector owners are not law enforcers. Therefore, it is up to the law enforcers or the government overall to take decisive actions against these elements at the fastest. For at stake is the future of our garment industries, one of few pillars on which stands the economy of Bangladesh.
