Editorial
ILO's welcome recipe
All concerned need to pay heed
IN a new ILO report titled Bangladesh: Seeking better employment conditions for better socioeconomic outcomes, the UN agency has spelled out a recipe for far-reaching measures for realising the full potential of Bangladesh garments sector. Recent accidents including Rana Plaza building collapse have brought Bangladesh garment sector to the front and centre of the global textile business concerns.
The report rightly underlines the fact that the RMG sector being central to the economy, new measures need to be far-reaching. Actually, some earlier compliance measures spread thin on a very large number of garment manufacturing units left yawning gaps in the sector to be filled in. Even the fact that some first class compliant factories are there, couldn't nudge the perfunctory nature of garments undertaking on to a serious mode.
The areas requiring to be addressed urgently are workers' safety, strong wage setting policies, job prospects including formalising jobs, better working conditions overall, international labour inspection standards and retention of trade preferences.
The government, garment manufacturers, owners, exporters, brand buyers, regulators and international oversight bodies must help steady the rocking boat of Bangladesh garment sector. It cannot be lost on all stakeholders that garment exports have been the cornerstone of Bangladesh's relatively high economic growth over the past two decades. It has contributed to women's empowerment and provided lifeline to many households, so the socioeconomic policies should be in part tailored to the needs of the garment sector workers.
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