A civil case was lodged in the United States of America (USA) against Bangladesh and three apparel buyers to get compensation for Rana Plaza victims and remedy for further incidents, officials said. One Abdur Habibur Rahman filed the case with the district court in the District of Columbia, USA. He filed the case in favour of Rana Plaza victims Sharifa Begum (deceased) and Mahamudul Hasan Hridoy (injured) on April 23 last. The case was filed under “the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, 20 U.S.C and 1332 (d) (2); and rule 23 of the Federal Rule of Civil procedure.” Defendants of the case are: the government of Bangladesh, JesiPenny Corporation, Inc, the Children Place and Wal-Mart stores, Inc. “Lack of basic standards for workplace healthy and safety (and failure of the Bangladesh government and western buyers and to audit and enforce the minimal standards that do exists), workers at garment factories in Bangladesh are subjected to a number of systematic human rights violations, including harassment and other abuse,” the plaintiff said. Plaintiff Mr Rahman had accused the government of Bangladesh of not taking proper steps to prevent such incidents. The allegations include not taking action despite several fire incidents and building collapses in the past few years, construction of Rana Plaza without observing proper building standards and lack of monitoring by local regulators. Besides, there are no basic standards for workplace health and safety in RMG sector. A Bangladeshi labour leader, Aminul Islam, was found tortured to death. Slow rescue operation at Rana Plaza and poor application of laws and regulations were also included in the case. Moreover, a number of allegations were also raised against the three buyers including low-cost subcontracting, sourcing from less compliant RMG factories, over-sourcing, sourcing without adequate supervision and inspection. The workers of those sourcing factories remained at risk of suffering and personal injury of health, the plaintiff mentioned. In this connection, a meeting was held on Tuesday last at the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to fix a work plan on the case. According to the meeting sources, the Ministry of Law will see the legal side of the case and the ministry of labour and employment will execute the administrative work. “The ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) is taking regular updates on the issue. At present, we are not well aware of it, so we are trying to collect detailed info on the case,” senior secretary of the MoC Hedayetullah Al Mamoon told the FE on Tuesday. “After getting necessary information, the ministry concerned will go for further action in this regard,” he said.

Bangladesh and China struck a deal in Beijing Tuesday to build the country’s maiden river tunnel down the Karnaphuli in Chittagong at a cost US $705 million. The Bridges Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges entered into the agreement with a state-owned Chinese firm at ceremony attended by ministers and other high-ups concerned of the two countries, according to a message received in Dhaka. Khandaker Anwarul Islam, the Bridges Division secretary, and Liu Qitao, Chairman of China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), inked the deal around 1:30 pm Bangladesh time. RTB Minister Obaidul Quader witnessed the ceremony along with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Chuantan. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Dr Dipu Moni and Bangladesh Ambassador to China M Fazlul Karim, Director-General of Foreign Ministry Ruhul Amin Siddique and Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Bridges Authority Kabir Ahmed were also present. The signing shaped the country’s maiden 3.4-kilometre tunnel across Karnaphuli River after a lot of improvisations that led to cost-overrun by around $60 million. The deal was delayed over the issue of interest rate of the Exim Bank of China and evaluation of the CCCC proposal for a lack of expertise. After the signing, Md Abu Naser, senior information officer of the ministry, said as announced before, the project work is set to start in December. But, he added, before that a loan agreement will be signed. “Economic Relations Division will sign the loan agreement with the Chinese government within two months,” he told the FE over phone. The ministry official, however, expressed his ignorance about the interest rate on the loan but said they were still trying to keep it below 2.0 per cent. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Obaidul Quader said Karnaphuli tunnel is the dream project of the people of Chittagong, and after its implementation, economic scenario of the country, including Chittagong, will drastically change. Lauding the Chinese role in Bangladesh’s development, the minister said apart from the cultural and religious relationships, China is an active contributor for both technology transfer and financial assistance in achieving development targets of Bangladesh for becoming a middle- income country by 2021. “China has a great role in every sphere of our development activities in areas like infrastructure, especially roads and bridges, power plants, satellite launch, agriculture, defence etc.,” he told the function. Joint-venture Chinese and Hong Kong consulting firms CCCC and ARUP, after the feasibility study, proposed the tunnel in 2013 with a total length of over 6.0 kilometres, including two approach roads feasible at the estuary of the Karnaphuli, to ensure connectivity of Chittagong city with the proposed deep-sea port and Cox’s Bazar tourist town. The length of the tunnel was estimated 3.4 kms with 740 metres of approach road on the western side and 4.9 kms at the east end. China’s CCCC also showed interest in constructing the tunnel under G2G arrangement. The dual two-lane tunnel is planned through the river with Navy College on one side and the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (KAFCO) two kilometres downstream of the river.

Two female garment workers, who were burnt in a fire that broke out at their house in Chittagong city’s EPZ area on Thursday, have died at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.Kohinoor Akhter, 19, of Bandarban, died on Monday, and Nargis Akhter, 20, of Cox’s Bazar, died yesterday.On Thursday, the family members went to bed without switching off their gas stove properly and later during sehri they lit a candle, initiating the fire.Nargis’ brother Nayan, 17, died on the spot and another member Salma is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Industrial Police has identified around 312 RMG factories problematic as they are feared not to pay wages and festival allowances of the workers in due time before the upcoming Eid. Fund shortage is suspected to be the main reason behind their inability to pay their respective workers. The finding was found in the monitoring report that was conducted by the Industrial Police for assessing the overall situation of the sector. In different part of the country’s industrial area, there are about 312 RMG factories, which may face fund shortage to pay their workers’ wages for the current month and festival allowances on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, an official of Industrial Police told the Dhaka Tribune quoting the monitoring report.
According to the report, of the total factories, 100 are located in Gazipur, 12 in Ashulia, 130 in Narayanganj while 70 others are located in Chittagong The zonal offices of the Industrial Police have already sent the data to the headquarters. “We’ve information that some factories may face problems in paying the workers’ wages and festival allowances in due time but I don’t want to disclose the number of the factories at the moment,” said Abdus Salam, director general of the Industrial Police. However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) claimed that only 74 RMG factory may face fund shortage to pay festival bonus and wages in due time. “We’ve information about 74 factories, which may face trouble in paying wages and bonus for the workers,” BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim told the Dhaka Tribune. “Of the factories, 45 are located in Dhaka while rest 29 are in the port-city Chiitagong,” said Azim. He also said, “We are talking to the owners of those factories to resolve the looming problems before due time.” Meanwhile, RMG labour leaders have expressed their fear of unrest if the payment of the workers are delayed or remain unpaid. “Labour unrest, centering the payment of wages and festival bonus tarnish the sector’s image and that is why, the factory owners should pay in due time,” Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, told the Dhaka Tribune. He also said, “If the wages and bonus are not paid in due time, it would lead unrest in the sector as the workers’, like others, wait for this occasion to go their village home and meet their dear and near ones.”

A civil case was lodged in the United States of America (USA) against Bangladesh and three apparel buyers to get compensation for Rana Plaza victims and remedy for further incidents, officials said. One Abdur Habibur Rahman filed the case with the district court in the District of Columbia, USA. He filed the case in favour of Rana Plaza victims Sharifa Begum (deceased) and Mahamudul Hasan Hridoy (injured) on April 23 last. The case was filed under “the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, 20 U.S.C and 1332 (d) (2); and rule 23 of the Federal Rule of Civil procedure.” Defendants of the case are: the government of Bangladesh, JesiPenny Corporation, Inc, the Children Place and Wal-Mart stores, Inc. “Lack of basic standards for workplace healthy and safety (and failure of the Bangladesh government and western buyers and to audit and enforce the minimal standards that do exists), workers at garment factories in Bangladesh are subjected to a number of systematic human rights violations, including harassment and other abuse,” the plaintiff said. Plaintiff Mr Rahman had accused the government of Bangladesh of not taking proper steps to prevent such incidents. The allegations include not taking action despite several fire incidents and building collapses in the past few years, construction of Rana Plaza without observing proper building standards and lack of monitoring by local regulators. Besides, there are no basic standards for workplace health and safety in RMG sector. A Bangladeshi labour leader, Aminul Islam, was found tortured to death. Slow rescue operation at Rana Plaza and poor application of laws and regulations were also included in the case. Moreover, a number of allegations were also raised against the three buyers including low-cost subcontracting, sourcing from less compliant RMG factories, over-sourcing, sourcing without adequate supervision and inspection. The workers of those sourcing factories remained at risk of suffering and personal injury of health, the plaintiff mentioned. In this connection, a meeting was held on Tuesday last at the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to fix a work plan on the case. According to the meeting sources, the Ministry of Law will see the legal side of the case and the ministry of labour and employment will execute the administrative work. “The ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) is taking regular updates on the issue. At present, we are not well aware of it, so we are trying to collect detailed info on the case,” senior secretary of the MoC Hedayetullah Al Mamoon told the FE on Tuesday. “After getting necessary information, the ministry concerned will go for further action in this regard,” he said.

Archroma, a producer of speciality textile chemicals has acquired the global textile chemicals business of Germany based BASF. “The acquisition further solidifies Archroma’s position as a clear industry leader in supplying chemicals and dyes to the global textile industry,” Archroma said in a press release. This is the second strategic transaction by Archroma following its takeover of the textile business of Clariant in 2013 and also acquiring a stake in the textile dyes and chemicals manufacturer M. Dohmen. The BASF business delivers products and technologies across the entire textile chemicals spectrum, with particular strengths in printing, finishing and coating chemicals. The acquisition, according to Archroma, strategically complements its product portfolio and geographical presence that will now include BASF’s strong market positions in Asia and several other high-growth markets. “The combined textile chemicals businesses will continue their history of maintaining a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability,” it added. “The textile industry is undergoing transformational change resulting from macro supply and demand shifts as well as a growing customer demand for sustainably-oriented solutions” said Alexander Wessels, CEO of Archroma. He added, “The operational and intellectual synergies between BASF and Archroma will allow us to offer the full breadth and depth of innovation, quality, reliability, expertise and market coverage they need to prosper.” About 225 employees globally are in the scope of the transaction, of which approximately 175 are located in Asia. The combined textiles businesses will remain headquartered in Singapore, close to customers in Asia’s fast-growing textile markets. The closing of the transaction of BASF Pakistan (Private) Ltd in Pakistan is expected to take place in August 2015. Archroma is a portfolio company of US-based private investment firm SK Capital Partners.

From gummy bears to silky mousses, gelatin is essential for making some of our favorite sweets. Now scientists are exploring another use for the common food ingredient: spinning it into yarn so it can be made into clothing. And because gelatin comes from livestock by-products, the new technique would provide an additional use for agricultural leftovers says a report in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Biomacromolecules. More than a century ago, the textile industry started using protein fibers from animals and vegetables such as casein from milk and zein from corn to make new kinds of fabrics. But synthetic fibers derived from petroleum products boomed and quickly eclipsed those efforts. Now, as consumers search for “greener” products, scientists have revived the idea of making fabrics from animal and plant proteins. Wendelin J. Stark and colleagues at the Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering of the ETH Zurichdecided to try spinning yarn out of gelatin, which comes from collagen, an abundant protein in livestock by-products. The researchers spun filaments of gelatin, twisted them into a yarn and then treated it with gaseous formaldehyde and lanolin (wool grease) to make it water-resistant. The resulting yarn was about as strong as a strand of merino wool. It was also just as warm when knitted into a glove.

Italian fabrics producer Gruppocinque has unveiled two collections, one under its namesake label Gruppocinque and the other under the name of Swing. According to a Gruppocinque press release, this season, a new cool aesthetic has emerged from a true Italian lifestyle taste for modern living. This, it said, has come through four strong ‘Metropolitan’ looks with colour accents on a modulated neutral ground, and a smart contemporary interpretation of nature re-imagined through a new mix of colours, textures and pattern. The Gruppocinque collection is dedicated to women’s contemporary fashion aesthetics under the Gruppocinque label where colour is king, and the fabrics have the heartbeat of the season at their core. For Autumn 16/17, the collection offers new wool and silk combinations with Newlife in textures, double cloths, reversibles, astrakhan and faux knit structures. Fleece effect finishes mix with geometric jacquards and micro patterned silk blends, while tessellated marocains and classic checked settings create movement and drama. The second, completely contrasting range is a new, super-slick, genderless technical concept called Swing. It incorporates the latest technical research in new finishes, touches and skin-feel that have been given an unusual optical through unique yarn dye combinations and new structures research. Gruppocinque informed that one will forget the common plainness of piece dyed fabrics and instead enjoy a new and subversive 3D reflective subtlety created through a balanced contrast of yarns, lusters and colours.Using ultra-fine nylons with super-light cottons and silks, new super-sophisticated effects emerge, that are at once unique, subtle and rich. “This new perception of colouration combines naturals with eco-smarts and techno coolness with an ambition that celebrates and safeguards the idea of diversity and difference,” it added. The new collections will be on view at View Premium Selection Monaco, Premiere Vision New York, Munich Fabric Start, Milano Unica, Premiere Vision Paris and Tokyo Forum.

Garments Sramik Sangram Parishad in the city on Monday demanded the garment owners to pay salaries and bonuses of all the workers before Ramadan 20. The RMG sector workers’ rights group came up with the demand at a human chain programme arranged in front of BGMEA Complex in the city’s Karwan Bazar. Coordinator of the rights group, Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, said the garment workers cannot observe the Eid like others as they don’t get their salary and bonus in time; the garment owners either make the payment before Eid day or after Eid. He said workers unrest would be raised if the salary and bonus have not been paid within Ramadan 20; if it happens, the government and BGMEA have to take the responsibility. Mentioning that there are 4 million garment workers in Bangladesh, he said every year living cost is increasing but the salary of the garment workers remains low. So the government as well as the garment owners should take initiatives to increase their salaries. Workers’ leaders at the programme also demanded to give bonus equivalent to basic salary. Garments Sramik Sanghati president Taslima Akter, and Bangladesh Garment Sramik Mukti Andolon president Shabnam Hafiz, among others were present at the programme.