‘West won’t buy blood stained clothes’

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez has said western consumers will not buy clothes that are stained with the blood of Bangladeshi workers.

“The BGMEA and the government of Bangladesh must understand this simple message,” Menendez said in a statement issued regarding the anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh.

He also urged Bangladesh government and BGMEA to take immediate and concerted steps to end the suppression of fledgling trade unions by the garment workers.

“If the BGMEA and the government of Bangladesh do not take immediate steps to end the suppression of fledgling unions, it is only a matter of time before another large-scale tragedy hits Bangladesh’s garments industry and the ‘made in Bangladesh’ brand is tarnished beyond repair,” he said.

The senator said without the strong voice of an independent factory union, workers have no mechanism to ensure their own safety.

In the statement, Menendez said the International Labor Organisation has initiated its largest-ever safe factories programme in Bangladesh and coordinated safety inspections, as well as compensation for the victims of Rana Plaza.

“International retailers have taken important initial steps to address buildings and workers safety in Bangladesh,” he added.

Source: Dhaka Tribune