BANGLADESH CANVAS
6 RMG units complete CAPs
Sluggish garment industry
North American buyers ’ group – ‘ Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety ’ has announced the successful completion of all material components outlined in their Corrective Action Plans ( CAPs ) by six additional Alliance-affiliated factories in the month of May .
The new additions have brought the total number of factories to have completed their CAPs to 82 . The factories include Babylon Garments Ltd ., Columbia Apparels Ltd ., R-PAC ( BD ) Packaging Co . Ltd . ( PKG ), R . S . B . Industrial Limited , Safaa Sweaters Ltd . ( Safaa Sewing Ltd .) and Uni Gears Ltd .
“ We commend these factories for prioritizing remediation and exhibiting a firm commitment to worker safety . With a little
While some of the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization ( ILO ) are being followed by garment factories in Bangladesh , the non-core standards for minimum work-hours and safety at the workplace are not correctly practised , states the study conducted by German-based Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung ( FES ) and more than a year left before the Alliance sunsets , achievements such as these remain central to our mission of transforming safety in Bangladesh ’ s readymade garment industry ,” said Jim Moriarty , Country Director , Alliance . On the other hand , six factories failed to
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies ( BILS ). The study was done between October 2016 and May 2017 by interviewing unionists and workers and the findings of the study were revealed at The Daily Star Centre , Dhaka . “ The country ’ s image will be even brighter and more trade will come to Bangladesh if the labour standards can be enforce adequate remediation progress last month . These factories are Gladiolus Fashion Wear Ltd ., Le Nouveautex Knit Fashion , C & A Fashion Limited , The Cloth & Fashion Ltd ., Beautiful Jackets and Bando Apparels Ltd ., bringing the total number of suspended factories to 153 .
Garment factories breach standards for work-hours : Study implemented properly at the factory levels ,” averred Jakir Hossain , Lead Researcher of the study and a Professor at Rajshahi University .
In addition to recommending an increase in the minimum wage of the labourers , the study also suggested that the nation needs to improve monitoring so as to create pressure on the employers to maintain minimum work-hours for the garment and leather workers . “ Development of any industry depends on the warm relationship between the workers and the employers and this relationship will improve if the international labour standards are maintained ,” remarked Wajedul Islam Khan , Joint General Secretary , BILS . Khan also appealed to the Government and the owners of the factories to allow the workers to form trade unions so that they can be united for their rights . impacts export earnings
Drop in global demand for readymade garments has slowed down the rate of export earning of Bangladesh as well in the last fiscal year , revealed a recent data from Export Promotion Bureau ( EPB ).
Although Bangladesh ’ s overall export earnings rose by 3.67 per cent in the first eleven months of FY 2016-17 to hit US $ 31.79 billion-mark , the growth rate dropped to 1.39 per cent as the country only managed to earn US $ 3.07 billion as against the target of US $ 3.35 for the fiscal .
According to trade analysts and leading sector figures , the slow rate of growth as highlighted by the EPB data , is a result of diminished global demand for readymade garments , which is considered to be the lifeline of Bangladesh ’ s economy , accounting for majority of the country ’ s foreign currency earnings . Of the total export earnings in the July-May period of FY 2016-17 , the RMG sector grew by 2.16 per cent to contribute US $ 25.62 billion , but failed to reach the target of US $ 27.38 billion for the said period .
“ Low demand in global markets caused slower growth in Bangladesh ’ s exports earnings …,” underlined the experts , warning further , “ It is a matter of concern as it may adversely impact backward linkage industry , production and even the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) of the country .”
It is pertinent to mention here that of the total export earnings in the review period , knitwear segment noted 4.91 per cent growth to earn US $ 12.5 billion , woven garments however witnessed negative growth and were down by 0.33 per cent compared to the earnings of US $ 13.16 billion in the previous year .
34 Apparel Online Bangladesh | JULY 2017 | www . apparelresources . com