Editorial
EU's concerns
These should be addressed in earnest
THE European Union, the largest destination for the country's garments export, contemplates taking trade action against Bangladesh obliging the country to improve safety standards in factories. Basically, it is tasking the Bangladesh garments sector to meet higher standards of safety against backdrop of the massive Rana Plaza building collapse. That clearly underlined the dire condition in which factory employees have to work.
The EU has raised concerns over labour conditions including health and safety provisions, established for workers across the country which leave much to be desired by way of acceptability.
The stakes are high for Bangladesh given the fact that the EU market provides our products duty-free and quota-free access under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP).
If the EU withdraws the GSP facilities on garment imports from Bangladesh, our exporters will have to pay 12.50 percent duty on apparel items. Should we fail to bring the factories with poor safety condition up to the level of compliant industries which are no small in number, we stand to face the consequence of losing competitiveness for our products. In effect, more than 3 million garment workers' jobs might be lost. And, women's empowerment through self-reliance by virtue of their being employed in the garment industry will take a bad jolt.
Considering the fallout of EU's trade action against Bangladesh if we do not roll up our sleeves to meet the standard in a year's time we will be that much bigger a loser.
In the main, it devolves on the BGMEA to show zero-tolerance to the non-compliant factories and have them ensure desired levels of safety and security for the workers. The international buyers too have a responsibility, as has been emphasized lately by overseas experts, to pay more to the garment makers so as to enable them to upgrade working conditions and avoid the sub-contracting system.
In the end, we hope that the EU too will see fit to cooperate with us in overcoming the crisis.
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