News Report Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has taken a unique initiative for branding the apparel industry, country’s main export-earner. BGMEA has been already assigned to sew the T-Shirt using cotton fabric to break the Guinness record, marking the centenary of founding anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO). BGMEA President Dr Rubana Huq on Saturday said they started the process upon getting proposal from the ILO. Plastindia Foundation at Mumbai, India, which on 5 January 2018 sewed the largest T-shirt, which was 96.86-meter (317.78 ft) long and 69.77-meter (228.90 ft) wide. Bangladesh will make the largest T-shirt, surpassing the previous record, Rubana said. BGMEA Director (Labour In-Charge) Rezwan Selim told The News Today, “Palmal has been entrusted with sewing of the 350-foot-long and 250-foot-wide T-Shirt using cotton fabrics, which will be one-size larger than the Indian-made T-shirt”. Bangladeshi apparel manufacturer Palmal will bear the cost of sewing the T-Shirt and so logo of the company would be adorned with it, he added. “ILO would organize a gala event in Bangladesh tentatively to be held on November 22 or 24 or 28,” Rezwan said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ILO President along with renowned personalities are expected to grace the mega-event, he added. The BGMEA Director said the world-reputed media outlets BBC, CNN, Reuters, Al-Jazeera etc would cover the event as well as local media. “The T-Shirt would be made into 5, 00 to 1,000 pieces, after the celebration, and the money to be received from their sale would be handed over to the labour-welfare fund,” said Rezwan. A BGMEA delegation, led by its president Dr Rubana Huq, apprised the Prime Minister of the matter last week at the Prime Minister’s Office at Tejgaon in the capital. Meanwhile, the BGMEA leaders have taken various initiatives to boost RMG export. The BGMEA president digilisation of all RMG factories, boosting export and establishing on ‘RMG Sustainability Council’ (RSC). The proposal for forming RMG Sustainability Council’ (RSC) gets acceptability to all. The BGMEA wants to establish on ‘RMG Sustainability Council’ (RSC) to ensure full and independent national compliance monitoring system in Bangladesh. The RSC will be governed by BGMEA, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), brands, and workers’ representatives, sources in the apex body of the country’s apparel industry said. The RSC will be envisaged to take over all the safety-related matters in the RMG industry within the legal framework of the government of Bangladesh, according to the BGMEA. The RSC will take over the structure, operation and resources of ACCORD as it phases out from Bangladesh in the 281 days of signing of the current memorandum of understanding (MoU). The Supreme Court has allowed ACCORD on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh an extension of 281 days to operate in transition in the country, based on the MoU signed between the BGMEA and ACCORD on Sunday. ACCORD helps readymade garment factories in Bangladesh become safe – and stay safe – for millions of workers. During the transition period, the BGMEA will immediately establish an operating unit within the ACCORD’s Dhaka office named ‘BGMEA Unit’ to ensure a smoother transition. A technical sub-committee with senior experts, especially from BUET among others, will be formed to complement the transition process. The BGMEA Unit will regularly update RCC on the progress made. In a bid to work collaboratively, it was agreed that there will be no termination or escalation of any factory from ACCORD’s end without the agreement of the BGMEA Unit, according to the MoU. ACCORD agreed that there will be no group termination in the case of failure of one factory. There will be no duplication of inspection between the safety initiatives (RCC, ACCORD and Nirapon).
