Crumbling Clothing Industry, urgent actions needed

http://www.textiletoday.com.bd/magazine/print/635

Editorial
Issue: May ,
2013

Crumbling Clothing Industry, urgent actions needed

Abrar A Apu, MSc

Numerous articles, in the form of proposals, editorials etc. have been written and published in newspapers on the Savar Tragedy.
Experts and scholars from different stream have tried to focus this issue and proposed possible measures to hold our US$ 20
billion clothing sector. I, as a textile and clothing graduate, one of the stakeholders of the sector, feel necessity to contribute in
the issue and propose some ways that would play important role to save and sustain the industry.
Usual growth of our clothing sector is principle means of poverty reduction as the industry employs 4 million labors directly
through its 5400 production units (BGMEA) and accounts for 45% of all industrial employment and 17% contribution to GDP. The
sector has contributed substantially in poverty eradication, achieving changes in the economic and social arena and creating
awareness and empowerment of women.
In 2007, compliance of safety and working environment in the clothing sector turned into national issue for industrial sector
when several consecutive fire accidents occurred killing 100 labours and critically injured several hundreds in 2006. From early of
2007 to the earlier month of 2010, no such big fire accident took place, thus buyers and manufacturers started to presume that
the sector gained substantial improvement in the industrial compliance. But early inFebruary 2010, when a blaze in Garib and
Garib Sweater killed 21 labours, the compliance safety issue again came into forefront and international media started to address
Bangladeshi clothing industry as death traps. The apex organization of the sector, BGMEA, along with government and other
NGOs worked on the issue but the accidents in the consecutive years; 45 killed in 2010, 2 killed in 2011, 125 killed in 2012 and
1150 killed by May 2013; have proved that the compliance of workers safety has not been improved as expected rather seems
to be deteriorated substantially. Almost all the authors who contributed on this issue have blamed the government, its
corruption, administrative loopholes; blame game between manufacturers and buyers (due to poor profit margins) and inefficient
& ineffective activities of BGMEA. In my little knowledge the authors are right in their stance. Because, clothing supply chain is
one of largest and complex industrial chains, hence, it is very difficult to blame only oneof the key players particularly.
Savar Tragedy, the worst industrial accident in our history, has jolted our billion-dollar clothing industry and the nation
simultaneously. All the stakeholders showed concerned and anxiety on the historical death tragedy and expressed their strong
stance on this issue. The EU and the US have warned on trade facilities such as GSP cancellation or implementing tough criterion
and few buyers are planning to boycott Bangladesh. If these happen, it will be impossible to calculate financial and non-financial
losses for the country in short and long run. I term it Tsunami for Bangladesh.
The present crisis and compliance issues should be solved with no time if the representatives from buyer, manufacturer, labour
union, and government work under the common umbrella. Practically working under common umbrella is difficult due to the
nature of the clothing business. In this business, buyer and manufacturer keep arms length relationship and the concept of an
arm's length relationship is to ensure that both parties in the deal are acting in their own self-interest and are not subjected to
any pressure or duress from the other party.
Inspired by the article Savar Tragedy, garment industry and Bangladesh written by Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus
and published in The Daily Star on May 9, 2013, I also like to share my experience and opinions to strengthen his arguments.
International buyers, who are strict to compliance standards before placing an order to a factory scrutinize documents,
compliance certificates; i.e. BSCI, WRAP, Sedex; with the objectives to ensure that labors in the particular factory enjoy fair
wages and better working conditions. But this type of buyers and factories are very limited. Proposal of Prof. Dr. M Yunus on
fixing minimum international wage level and premiums collected from each clothing article sale will be better fit under Fair
Trade concept (ILO Fairtrade and IMO Fair for Life). When traditional trade fails to ensure basic rights of labors,then the Fair
Trade principleshave the answer. Under the concept, the collected premiums are devoted to labor welfare and development
causes.
An appropriate initiative should be taken by respective interest groups; forming a common platform of information and data hub
where every minor and major strengths and weaknesses information and data will be available. This platform can play vital role
in matching and bridging contact among right buyers with right manufacturers and suppliers.
BGMEA conducts social audit in its member factories in two-month interval. This is a kind of second party inspection and
certification. I believe that most of you who are involved in clothing production field know how fairly the inspection is done! The
doctor shouldnt treat own family member, the same way, the self-inspection and evaluation shouldnt be done in this sector.
Here I opine that the BGMEA should go for third party or independent inspection and certification.

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Bangladesh Textile Today

Issue: May , 2013

01/07/2013 12:55