Kamruzzaman Bablu :
In recent months, there has been a surge in rumors, misinformation, and negative campaigns aimed at Bangladesh’s ready-made garments (RMG) and textile industries.
Competing countries have seized on isolated incidents of labor unrest to create a distorted image of the sector.
This could potentially amplify unrest among Bangladeshi workers and affect the country’s position in the global garment market.
This is why, the sectors businessman want to see the government’s strong interference in these narratives that overlook the significant progress the industry has achieved over the years in areas such as compliance, ethical standards, and worker welfare.
The recent unrest in the industry has received extensive coverage in the domestic media as well as in the global media, especially in Bangladesh’s competing neighboring countries.
After the fall of the previous government, labor unrest and protests broke out in the Savar-Ashulia region over some of the workers’ demands.
Incidents like vandalism of factories, arson attacks on car and road blockades took place.
Garment factories in the Ashulia-Savar region remain closed for some time.
But the continued labor unrest despite the acceptance of all the 18-point demands of the workers points to something else.
Certainly, neither owners nor the workers and as a whole people of Bangladesh, ultimately benefited from this labor unrest, however, several demands of the workers are going to be met.
“We the businesses wants governments strong supervision to control ongoing unrest and propaganda for a stabilize sector.
If this unrest to continue, the buyers like The USA and EU may think about their alternative sources,” Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), told the New Nation on Thursday.
