RMG manufacturers and the new leadership of the apparel sectors should have zero tolerance for a range of compliance issues to achieve $50bn export target by 2021, said BGMEA President Md Atiqul Islam who is handing over his presidentship to the newly elected president Siddiqur Rahman tomorrow. Dhaka Tribune: Do you think that Bangladesh has improved safety standard to ensure work place safety? Atiqul Islam: Bangladesh has become a role model for other countries in ensuring safety for RMG workers as it successfully came out of factory disasters. The Accord and Alliance found less than 2% factory risky for safety, which is already closed. On the other hand, remediation work is going on in full swing.
DT: What should the BGMEA new leadership and factory openers do to ensure safety?
AI: Since the deadly fire at Tazreen Fashions and Rana Plaza building collapse, global retailers, rights organisations and trade bodies raised questions about workers safety. Bangladesh suffered a lot in image crises. That is why, to rebuild image and ensure safety, RMG factory owners and new BGMEA leadership have to be zero tolerant on safety issues and must close life-threatening factories. If we want to reach $50bn export target by 2021, we have to keep in mind that without safety guarantee the buyers will not place their orders in an unsafe factory.
DT: Do you think that labour rights are established in RMG sector?
AI: The RMG owners’ perception of the trade union and their mindsets about it have changed. We always welcome legal and constructive trade union. After an amendment to the labor act, RMG workers enjoy more freedom to organise, which is reflected in the trade union registration. In 2013, a total of 83 trade unions were registered while in 2014 it was 185, and as of August, 2015, the number is 58. We have bitter experience in jute sector, but I hope the new unions will lead the industry to a positive direction.
DT: What should the government and BGMEA do to rebuild image?
AI: As the representative of sector people, BGMEA has done a lot to brand Bangladesh to come out of the negative image created by consecutive factory disasters. We have successfully arranged Dhaka Apparel Summit, which was attended by an array of global scholars and retailers, who suggested some key points. Now, the government has to run counter to negative political branding, which deters the retailers from visiting Bangladesh to place orders. It has to ensure the buyers’ safe stay in Bangladesh, plus their free movement. The great concern of buyers is political instability, which needs to be addressed properly as soon as possible.
DT: What should the sector people do to enhance productivity?
AI: Productivity is a big challenge for the sector as it casts shadow on production cost. Manufacturers have to concentrate on technology, production engineering and skill training programme. We have already established school in Ashulia and will provide training through CEBAI. We will not be able to reduce production cost till productivity is upgraded and increased.
DT: What are the tasks still needed to get underway?
AI: At present, three are around 40% factories in shared buildings, employing around 1.5m workers. The buyers have warned the RMG makers that they won’t place orders if manufacturing is done in shared building. To avert job cut, the government has to expedite implementation of RMG Palli in Bausia so that closed factories and those housed in shared buildings can be relocated soon.
