The garment sector's realities

MY daughter, a Dhaka University lecturer, has recently gone to Canada to do a Ph.D. at the University of Alberta. Two days back, she happily appeared before her web camera proudly putting on the new coat she bought from a famous department store there. The coat was made in Bangladesh and that made her so happy and proud.

Not to spoil her happiness, I resisted from informing her that, of the garment workers who make these nice dresses for pompous people all over the world, three were killed and more than 100 were injured as the police fired on the Nippon Garments factory workers rallying for three month's arrear wages and against the sudden closure of their factory without prior notice.

The country's readymade garment (RMG) units face frequent agitation and violence, mainly for non-payment of wages and other regular benefits to workers. Some garment unit owners close their factories with the ultimate end of not paying the arrear wages and benefits to workers. Such actions by the management cause eruption of violence, and the problem must be resolved.

The garment workers really are the victims of extreme exploitation, and the issue of their welfare has been neglected all along. An amount of Tk.1,200, which they usually get as their wage, is not commensurate with their hard labour. Moreover, they are forced to work overtime without being paid as per rules. Many garment units pay wages irregularly, and the poor workers eventually bear the brunt of police excesses while agitating for the realisation of their wages.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked BGMEA leaders to implement the minimum wage scale in all its member units, as many of them have not yet implemented the minimum wages fixed as per tripartite agreement in 2006. She said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 20th Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exposition 2009 on November 5.

The garment owners as well as the government believe that a vested quarter at home and abroad is active behind the labour unrest in the garment units to create anarchy and hamper the growth of the RMG sector. Conspiracy, external or internal, cannot be ruled out. However, a conspiracy can only be materialised when there are colossal failures and indifferences among those who exercise power without the semblance of responsibility.

The RMG sector has played a vital role in the Bangladesh economy. Presently, more than 4,500 garment units are exporting both woven and knit items. Almost three million workers are working in these garment factories, most of whom are women. The RMG sector provides jobs for over five million people, including indirect employment.

This sector also stands as the premier foreign exchange earner of the country, bringing in more than $5 billion a year as export earnings. The RMG sector is responsible for more than 75 percent of the export earnings of the country. In fact, these are not only pleasant facts, but also significant, as the employment situation of the country has been worsening continually over the last few years.

The sad reality is that the owners' concern for their garment units are confined only to counting profits, while the government's concern is for earning foreign currency. Nobody cares for the poor workers -- the most important component for running the industry. They are being treated virtually as slaves without any human rights. The welfare of the garment workers was never high on the agenda of either of the two garment associations and the government, or of the factory owners.

The far-reaching consequences of the labour unrest in garment units may be devastating for foreign investment, as these incidents have been widely covered by the foreign media. The theory of conspiracy by some rival country has become less credible as there is little evidence of pro-poor inclination of the owners of garment units.

Rather, it speaks emphatically of garment factory owners driving luxury cars and living beyond their means while exploiting the poor workers. The garment workers' piled-up anger and deprivation for years of their genuine rights and privileges has just exploded; this was bound to happen.

In the backdrop of frequent labour unrest, ministers, garment factory owners, garment workers and union leaders have decided to introduce trade unionism in the RMG sector. The meeting, held on November 1, also formed a 12-member committee to recommend the ways to introduce trade unionism in the sector.

The introduction of trade unionism in the RMG sector is a good idea, and will allow workers to have a credible voice that can be heard by the owners. Yet, establishing effective trade unionism in the RMG sector, a very sensitive one because of its crucial role in the national economy, is easier said than done

The nation is yet to forget its bitter experience of trade unionism in the nationalised commercial banks and industries. Therefore, a careful consideration by all stakeholders is essential while introducing trade unionism in a sector having a pivotal role in the economy, employing a record number of people, and earning the highest amount of foreign currency.

A. N. M. Nurul Haque is a columnist of The Daily Star.
Email: anmnhaque@hotmail.com