Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Myanmar’s deepening political crisis and India’s grave coronavirus situation are prompting international retailers and brands to divert work orders to Bangladesh because of its stability and milder-than-expected impacts of the second wave of the infections.

Some 200 garment factories could not pay workers’ salaries and festival bonuses as of yesterday although the Eid-ul-Fitr festival is just knocking at the door, said union leaders.

Naoki: Bangladesh at present and Japan in 1971 share almost the same level of GDP per capita (About $2,000). Japan achieved rapid economic growth after the Second World War, particularly in the 1960s and the 1970s.

Not all garment factories have been able to pay workers’ salaries and festival allowances within the government-set deadline ending yesterday.

Gas heat recovery has become the name of the game for efficiency in the textile and garment industry to remain competitive in business and for a green transformation to save the environment and the next generation.

The election board of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday declared the names of 78 directors who were elected uncontested.

Production in a number of local chemical, textile and glassware factories is facing setbacks for delays in the shipment of soda ash by Indian exporters over the past four months.

The strong performance of the US economy fuelled by the Biden administration’s relief cheques to the people and the ongoing rapid vaccination holds promises for the recovery of Bangladesh’s garment shipment to its single largest export destination.

The relationship between Japan and Bangladesh is a trusted and time-tested one. Bangladesh became Japan’s biggest recipient of the Official Development Assistance in 2020. Since the Covid-19 pandemic started more than a year ago, there has been a lot of talks and anticipation about Japanese businesses moving base to Bangladesh.

Earnings from merchandise exports surged as much as six times year-on-year to $3.13 billion in April thanks to a rebound in apparel shipment buoyed by the reopening of the economies in the US and Europe.

The business community is deprived of an opportunity to choose their leaders through a participatory election as directors of the FBCCI are picked through consensus among hopefuls, who are often backed by the ruling parties.

The biennial election of the country’s apex trade body might not take place on May 5 as candidates have been elected uncontested after four hopefuls withdrew their candidature.

The country’s apex trade body plans to set up a commercial bank and an insurance company to serve better cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSMEs), which struggle to secure loans despite being the backbone of the economy.

Garment factory owners are demanding more stimulus funds from the government to pay three months’ salaries alongside festival allowances to workers.

Bangladesh’s textile and garment factories have significantly cut water and energy consumption by adopting low-cost and cleaner production processes and installing new technologies under a programme initiated by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The country’s garment sector has been going through massive reforms to become more sustainable and safer for workers since the 2013 Rana Plaza building collapse that claimed at least 1,138 lives.

Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of Bangladesh’s deadliest industrial disaster, the Rana Plaza building collapse. Many changes have taken place in the garment sector after the disaster that killed 1,138 workers and left more than 2,500 injured. Tuomo Poutiainen shed light on various aspects of the tragedy.

Garment factories operated in full swing on the second day of the lockdown yesterday although many workers found it difficult to reach their workplaces because of the non-availability of public transport.

The government, trade bodies and garment union leaders strongly advised factory owners to strictly follow health safety rules in operations of production units so that workers are not infected with Covid-19 during lockdowns.

Chattogram-based Denim Expert’s managing director, Mostafiz Uddin, has been sending an open letter to some leaders in Europe, the UK and the US since February 26 urging reopening clothing stores to ensure sustainable supply chains in garment business.