Live up or be left out, RMG
buyers tell exporters
MFA forum meets in Washington Jan 20 to review compliance status in Bangladesh
NAZMUL AHSAN and KAZI AZIZUL ISLAM
Wal-Mart, GAP, Marks & Spencer, TESCO, Inditex, Cotton Group and other major buyers of readymade garment have been grouped in a forum that will soon review the status of compliance in factories in Bangladesh, according to local and international sources.
The MFA Forum, put together by the World Bank involving also a number of human rights organisations, is scheduled to meet in Washington on January 20.
Some major buyers of readymade garments from Bangladesh have already made it clear to exporters that they would consider suspending import if compliances, including labour standards, under the recently proposed code of conduct are not met, the sources said.
At its previous meeting on November 8-9 in London, the forum formulated a nine-point code of conduct for the garment sector in Bangladesh.
The code has already been submitted to the commerce minister, which, in turn, has scheduled a meeting of stakeholders on the issue on January 30.
Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and officials from the commerce and finance ministries and the Export Promotion Bureau are expected in the meeting.
The latest development has frightened manufacturers and exporters, who own small garment factories, said industry sources.
Top executives of Wal-Mart, based in Canada, held a closed-door meeting with BGMEA leaders on Wednesday where they categorically said they would suspend outsourcing from Bangladesh if the factories fail to meet the compliances.
The BGMEA president, Tipu Munshi, attended the meeting along with a number of BGMEA directors.
‘Sales in our stores have declined drastically after negative reports on the involvement of child labour in Bang |
