Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine January Issue 2019 | Page 38

NEWS DIGEST - 2018
declares end of tenure in Bangladesh/
< < Alliance
Bangladesh’s Apex Court to hear Accord’s plea…
Should Accord/Alliance stay put or move out… The long-drawn tug of war
between manufacturers and buyers has had a mixed outcome with Alliance
deciding to call it a day while Accord is digging in its heels still…
The platform of North American brands and retailers, Alliance for Bangladesh
Worker Safety, recently declared the end of its tenure in Bangladesh… The
retailers’ body announced its decision in its fifth and final annual report.
<< Top
developments
< <
of 2018
2018 has been quite an eventful year for
the industry in all aspects… The news desk
of the Apparel Online family have had their
hands full filing, editing and uploading
news on our website all through these 365
days, so much so that it had a tough time
deciding which one goes first. And as the
year drew to a close, it was now up on
the editors to select the top news of the
year, based not only on the merit of news
value but also on the implications of these
ground-breaking developments, which
combined together are bound to give a
new direction to the industry going ahead
into 2019… Presenting herein are the top
16 developments of the year gone by…
“In these past five years, the Alliance, our member brands
and the owners of Alliance-affiliated factories have achieved
unprecedented progress towards the goal of improving
safety in Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry, while
simultaneously helping to solidify Bangladesh’s standing as a
global leader in garment exports.” 
– Jim Moriarty, Executive Director, Alliance
After deferring the scheduled hearing on December 17 pertaining to an
appeal filed by the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh to
extend its stay in the country, the Supreme Court is likely to resume hearing.
“The consequences of a closure of the Accord liaison office
in Bangladesh will be significant, immediate and damaging.
The premature shutdown of Accord, leaving workers in unsafe
circumstances, would jeopardise the brand’s ability to source
from a safe industry.” 
– Joris Oldenziel, Deputy Director, Accord on Fire and
Building Safety in Bangladesh
unrest rocks Bangladesh’s apparel industry,
< < Fresh
55 units shut
The perennial issue of workers’ agitation once again hit the industry at a time
when manufacturers’ were getting ready to bid adieu to 2018 after a hectic last
few months catering to the annual holiday sales in the West.
A fresh swathe of unrest has taken over Bangladesh’s apparel industry
following a week’s relapse – signalling that the unrest over the latest wage
hike is likely to persist. At least 15 manufacturing units were shut across
Hemayetpur, Savar, in purview of workers’ protests...
Speaking to several workers, who all wished to remain anonymous,
Apparel Online has found out that workers are mostly agitating due to
concerns over a ‘discriminatory’ wage hike claiming that there will be no
evaluation of merit and experience in the new pay structure.
publishes gazette fixing minimum wage of
< < Bangladesh
RMG workers at Taka 8,000
With all the rough and tumble around the long-drawn exercise which witnessed
several turns and twists, the issue of new minimum wage at last is settled for
good.
38 Apparel Online Bangladesh | January 2019 | www.apparelresources.com