Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine August Issue 2018 | Page 29

BANGLADESH CANVAS
Commerce Minister confirms exit of buyers' bodies by
December 2018
The global buyers’ bodies,
Bangladesh Accord on Fire and
Building Safety and Alliance for
Bangladesh Worker Safety, formed
in the aftermath of the tragic
Rana Plaza incident to carry out
inspection and remediation of the
apparel manufacturing units in the
Bangladesh readymade garment
sector, are all set to leave the
country by December this year.
“Accord and Alliance will leave
Bangladesh after the six-month
transition period on December
7 and then we will take over
the responsibility of factory
remediation and inspection,”
Bangladesh Commerce Minister
Tofail Ahmed reportedly stated
in a programme held recently at
capital city Dhaka. He also added
further that in the fourth review
Accord and Alliance will leave
Bangladesh after the six-month
transition period on December
7 and then we will take over
the responsibility of factory
remediation and inspection
- Tofail Ahmed
meeting of Sustainability Compact
held at Brussels last month, the
issue of extending time for Accord
and Alliance was discussed and
in the meeting it was told that
Bangladesh was capable to take
over the responsibility of factory
remediation. It may be mentioned
here that following the Rana
Plaza collapse in April 2013, which
claimed over 1,100 lives, North
American brands and retailers
formed Alliance while retailers from
Europe formed Accord.
At the same programme, State
Minister for Labour Md Mujibul
Haque, while addressing the
journalists, maintained, “I challenge
that no Rana Plaza-like incident
will take place in future in the
country…. and the country’s
readymade garment sector no longer
requires Accord and Alliance as
we have made significant progress
in strengthening the capacity of
the Department of Inspection for
Factories and Establishments.”
BGMEA proposes 20 per cent hike in minimum wage;
labour leaders want double of that
Looks like all the clamour over
BDT 16,000 minimum wage for
Bangladesh’s apparel workers
will not become a fight in reality,
as the latest wage board meeting
saw suggestions of much lower
rate from both labour leaders and
apparel manufacturers.
“The owners proposed a minimum
wage-rate of BDT 6,360, up by 20
per cent from the previous rate
of BDT 5,300”, Siddiqur Rahman,
President of Bangladesh Garment
Manufacturers and Exporters
Association (BGMEA), told
journalists at a post-meeting press
briefing.
According to meeting insiders,
the owners cited rising cost of
business and stiff competition in
the global market as main causes
behind recommending the clumsy
raise. The pay structure consists
of BDT 3,600 as basic and the
remainder for other allowances.
“On the other hand, labour leaders
proposed BDT 12,020 as minimum
wage for the workers”, Shamsun
Nahar Bhuiyan, Workers’
Representative of the board, said
in a press briefing. They asked
for BDT 7,500 as basic, and the
remainder for other allowances.
asked to come forward with
recommendations for minimum
wage of the workers.
The next meeting, which will
ponder over the propositions,
has been slated for August 29.
Meanwhile, it is expected to be a
blow to pro-labour organisations
which have been campaigning for
a minimum wage of BDT 16,000.
They said it was necessary
considering the rise in the living
cost of workers, who are now
paid the lowest in the world.
This was the third meeting of
the Government-formed wage
board, which was constituted
with all stakeholders in January
last, where all parties were
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