Over the last thirty years, our garment industry has matured and stood on its own feet. The garment industry employs thousands of men and women and earns millions of dollars for Bangladesh. Undoubtedly, ours is a free market economy. But it does not mean that the garment factory owners may act for their own benefit ignoring the workers' rights and vice-versa.

If the garment industry collapses or closes down, thousands of people would become jobless and an economic catastrophe may befall our country.

In order to run our garment industry smoothly and efficiently and to save it from any ominous threat, we strongly feel and recommend that the following three steps, including others, if any, may be taken immediately by our government:

i) A common service rules and regulations for all the garment factories may be made.

ii) Owners of the garment factories may pay wages and overtime to the workers on or before the seventh day of each month and also the yearly bonus at least before the religious festival.

iii) In case the owners of the garment factories fail to pay the wages, overtime and bonus, our ministry of industry may handover the failed garment factory to another successful garment factory owner or to any private individual through tender and auction.

iv) Our ministry of industry may be held responsible for maintaining accountability, transparency, safety and security of all garment factories and the welfare of the workers and staff members of the factories.

O.H. Kabir

Wari, Dhaka