The industry seeks price hike as it is going through massive reforms
- Garment workers performing duties at a factory in Dhaka
A senior European Commission official has urged the retailers and brands to stay engaged in Bangladesh and not to pull out orders from the small and medium factories, employing 1.5 million workers.
Director (GSP) of the DG Trade of the European Commission, Sanda Gallina, made the call in her closing statement in an outcome document titled “Implementation Review and Stock Taking of Progress” on Monday.
The document also urged early adoption of rules and regulations for Bangladesh Labour Act with highest priority, including rules on unfair labour practice, implementation of National Tripartite Plan of Action (NAP), enactment of Export Processing Zones (EPZ) Act and further improvement of freedom of associations and collective bargaining in EPZs.
On Monday, the European Union, the United States, Bangladesh and ILO met in Brussels in order to take stock of the progress on the actions outlined in the Sustainability Compact adopted on July 8 last year.
In the session, speakers appreciated Bangladesh’s commitment towards fulfilling the actions outlined in the Sustainability Compact and expressed satisfaction over the progress that Bangladesh has made in last more than one year.
The parties said if Bangladesh can recruit 189 inspectors within December 2015 as recommended by the PSC, it would be a big achievement in terms of strengthening the government’s ability to regulate the RMG sector on its own.
Bangladesh placed the progress on the occasion of the Sustainability Compact Follow up meeting held on Monday in Brussels.
Bangladesh, the European Union, the United States and the ILO recognised the progress made by Bangladesh since the launch of Compact in July last year in areas of labour rights, occupational safety and responsible business conducts.
Since the inception of sustainability compact, Bangladesh amended Labour Act 2013, upgraded the Directorate of Inspection for Factories and Establishments to a Department (DIFE), over 236 trade unions get registered in RMG Sector since January 2013, allowed duty-free import of fire safety equipment and fabricated building materials, launched publicly accessible database of RMG factories at DIFE and conferring the rights to strike to workers’ Welfare associations in EPZ areas.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed in his statement stressed on taking the actions to improve the occupational safety, working condition and labour rights in Bangladesh, according to an official release issued here yesterday.
He also said the government has increased the minimum wage to Tk5,300 for RMG workers that has been implemented from December 1 last year.
Among others, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam urged the buyers and retailers no to cancel their orders in the factories located in shared buildings. He also urged the buyers and retailers to consider raising prices of the apparel items.
A 12-member delegation comprising Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar,
Foreign Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque and representatives from BGMEA, BKMEA, Bangladesh Employers Federation, Accord and Alliance attended the session.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
