A six-member national committee headed by the commerce minister will be formed soon to look into the matter of social compliance by the country's garment industry.

The decision was taken yesterday in a special meeting of "Bangladesh Round Table" held in Dhaka office of BKMEA, organised by Germany-based donor agency GTZ and Lift Standards.

The National Committee of Social Compliance will take an action plan in this regard soon.

The committee will include representatives of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), buyers, donors and workers.

BKMEA President Fazlul Hoque, First Secretary to the EC Delegation Anne Marchal, Director of BGMEA Haroon Ar Rashid, representatives from workers union, donor agencies and foreign buyers participated in the meeting.

"The committee will look after different agendas relating to social compliance, and keep buyers updated about its ground work through a website," Fazlul Hoque said.

Social compliance features include fabric quality, safety and security, working hours, wages, weekly holiday and workers welfare, said an industry insider.

"We have in principle agreed about the body, who will be the members of the committee. Name of the members will be finalised by the next week," said Hoque emerging from the meeting.

He said following the disaster of Spectrum Sweater factory in April, local RMG sector came under heavy pressures from international buyers and donor agencies to ensure social compliance. The committee is the outcome of that pressure, he added.

Last month, the European Union warned local RMG producers to ensure the social compliance within six months.

"It is not ethical and realistic," Hoque said about the deadline. Foreign investment in ROK slumps

AFP, Seoul

Foreign investment in South Korea plunged 25 percent in the second quarter, partly reflecting a growing perception that Asia's third largest economy is unfriendly to foreign capital, officials said Wednesday.