#Title

RMG SECTOR

Need better planning for better future
Speakers tell discussion, stress unified code of conduct for factories to promote good governance, protect labour rights
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector has improved significantly thanks to the best labour practices promoted by the International Labour Organization, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday.
Export revenues have increased by 55 percent and export volumes by 50 percent following the introduction of ILO’s Better Work Bangladesh Programme, said Centre for Policy Dialogue’s research director Khondakar Golam Moazzem in his keynote presentation.
He presented these findings in his keynote paper at the roundtable held on the occasion of the 10-year celebration of the “Better Work Bangladesh (BWB)” programme.
ILO and International Finance Corporation (IFC) jointly organised the event, titled “Better Work, Better Lives: Elevating RMG Industry in Bangladesh,” in association with The Daily Star and Prothom Alo at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Launched in 2014, BWB is a joint initiative by ILO and IFC.
Between 2014 and 2022, Better Work factories increased workers’ base pay by 5.4 percent, reduced noncompliance with overtime hour limits by 22 percent, and increased the possibility of offering maternity leave by 10 percent, Moazzem noted.
Furthermore, Better Work factories were 5 percent more likely to pay on time, showed a 21 percent decrease in noncompliance with overtime compensation, and had a 30 percent higher possibility of offering daycare facilities, he added.
Also, progress was made in gender equality and returns, including elevation of women into supervisory roles, which led to shifting dynamics and resulted in a 5 percent rise in line efficiency and a 39 percent wage increase for female supervisors, he also said.
Speaking at the event, lawmaker Nahim Razzaq said, “Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest RMG exporter and hosts the highest number of green factories, but we aren’t paid enough apart from the norm.”
He called for advocacy from ILO, IFC, and other agencies in this regard.
“This is our standard as legislators and government, because we need to promote compliance,” he added.
“We must implement protective measures to ensure the long-term survival of these industries. If they don’t survive, there’ll be no employment,” he said, urging worker federations and unions to act positively for RMG sector’s stability.
ILO Bangladesh Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen stressed the significance of understanding labour practices, laws, and standards at the enterprise level, emphasising their importance for developing a harmonious relationship between the business community and workers.
“Bangladesh is not unique in addressing working conditions or investing in safety and health. All countries are doing so because it is integral to modern-day business,” he said.
Better Work is actively collaborating with enterprise industry associations and the government to demonstrate and advocate for endorsement of such practices, he said.
Abdullah Hil Rakib, vice president of BGMEA, urged people to appreciate the RMG sector for the improvements it has made over the years, particularly after the Rana Plaza collapse.
Efforts are underway to develop a unified code of conduct for factories to promote good governance, protect labour rights, and ensure a safe work environment, he said.
Delivering the welcome speech, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said, “We want the RMG industry to be profitable, ethical, and sustainable.”
SEE PAGE 4 COL 5