The government has formed a cabinet committee on garment
industry for further improvement of conditions in the sector and ensuring its
workers’ safety and rights, officials said.
Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, minister for labour and employment,
will head the 11-member committee, said a cabinet division official quoting a
notification of the same division.
The committee, formed with 10 others ministers and
state-ministers, has been asked to suggest the government to amend any law, if
necessary, for safeguarding the interests of the garment workers.
The fast-growing garment industry which accounted for
US$19.09 billion of the country’s total $24.3 billion exports earnings in
2011-12 fiscal year and employed some four million workers is facing manifold
problems—safety and rights of the workers being the most pressing ones.
At least 112 people were killed in a devastating fire at
Tazreen Fashions at Ashulia on November 24,
2012.
Besides, demonstration by the workers for payment of
wages and others issues often hit the headlines of the local and international
media.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has
threatened to scrap the generalised system of preference (GSP) for Bangladeshi
products in the US market on the ground that Bangladesh is not taking steps to
improve labour rights.
Bangladesh Garments and Industries Workers Federation
president Babul Akhtar, however, told New Age that the committee was mere an
eye-wash ahead the USTR hearing scheduled to take place next month.
‘The existing labour law was fair enough to ensure the
workers’ right,’ he said, adding that the government was not implementing the
law properly.
Minister for jute and textile, LGRD, home, industries,
commerce, foreign, shipping and disaster management and relief, and state
ministers for labour and employment, and housing are included in the
high-powered committee.
Eleven secretaries, including principle secretary and
secretaries of the ministries of home, jute and textile, commerce, LGRD, labour
and employment, foreign and shipping will assist the committee.
The main task of the committee is to work out plans and
recommendations for overall development of the sector.
The committee will suggest the government to change laws,
if necessary, regarding fire safety, factory infrastructure and workers’
health.
It will monitor activities of ministries and divisions to
ensure compliance in the sector. It will work out plans to set up fair hydrant
points in garment intensive areas and ensure workers’ welfare. (Read theoriginal story)