30
pc drop in order for RMG
4
lakh workers jobless, 1237 factories closed
Orders for ready-made
garments, country's principal source of foreign
exchange earning, dropped by about 30 percent in over
two and a half months since the September 11 tragedy
in America followed by US economic recession,
according to a highly placed BGMEA source.The
plummeting situation forced closure of 1237 garment
factories all over the country so far throwing over
four lakh skilled and semi-skilled workers, eighty
percent of whom are female ranging in age group
between 16 and 35 years, out of employment, the source
said.
Bangladesh continue to
pursue US authorities for duty and quota free entry of
ready-made garments since long back, particularly soon
after the previous Clinton Administration allowed 72
sub-Saharan, African and Caribbean countries duty and
quota free access of their commodities including
garments under contracts like TDA - 2000, NAFTA, SSA,
CBI, etc. to US markets. The facility has thrown
Bangladesh into an uneven competition shrinking its
garments market in USA.
BGMEA fears unless
corrective steps were taken right now Bangladesh
market for readymade apparels would continue to
shrink.BGMEA second Vice-President Qazi Moniruzzaman
told the New Nation because of current economic
turmoil followed by international events, orders for
non-quota items from US buyers declined drastically
forcing manufacturers and exporters to close their
units and declaring lay-offs.
Asked about the fate of
the jobless workers and their possible rehabilitation,
Mr Moniruzzaman said BRAC, one of the leading NGOs,
has undertaken a programme for imparting training to
jobless garment workers in accordance with their
respective qualifications and experiences. BRAC has
recently issued a circular urging workers for
enlistment of their names with it. Further details
about their rehabilitation were not immediately known,
he said.The present government soon after taking over
responsibility prioritised readymade garment export
issue with the US authorities.
Former Foreign Minister
AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, now President of the
country, visited the United States leading a
delegation and held talks with US officials seeking
quota and duty free of ready-made garments to US
markets. His visit was followed by recent tour of
Commerce Minister Amir Khashru Mahmoud leading a
delegation comprising government officials and private
sector representatives.Mr Moniruzzman is skeptical
about US positive response towards Bangladesh request
for duty and quota free access of apparels to US
markets.
About the complicity
regarding implementation of SAARC cumulation as
proposed by the European Union (EU), Mr Moniruzzman
said manufacturers and exporters have been facing
great difficulty in the strict adherence to rules of
origin, particularly from economic point of view. In
fact, 51 per cent value retention by Bangladeshi
exporters as proposed in the SAARC cumulation to avail
duty free access to EU would not be possible since the
manufacturers largely depend on the import of 82
percent fabrics under back to back L/c, he said.
Local textile
industries which can only meet 18 percent demand
strongly oppose implementation of SAARC cumulation, it
is learnt.He further said the BGMEA has urged EU for
relaxation of rules of origin since value retention by
exporters cannot be more than 20 to 28 percent under
existing scenario.
