Legal measures should be taken against those who are violating these laws, the council leaders said at a press briefing at the National Press Club yesterday while presenting the Dhaka Declaration on MFA phase out.

BNC conference coordinator and Bangladesh Textiles Garment Workers League (BTGWL) President ZM Kamrul Anam read out the declaration.

International Textiles Garment and Leather Workers Federation General Secretary Neil Kearney and Textile Workers for Asian Regional Organisation (TWARO) Secretary Akiko Gono, among others, also spoke at the briefing.

Stressing the need for ensuring job security of the garment workers, the council leaders also demanded that at least five percent of profit be earmarked for the RMG workers' welfare fund.

The Dhaka declaration urged the authorities concerned to mobilise resources nationally and globally to meet the challenges the RMG sector will face in the quota-free regime.

Alternative steps should be taken so that the workers can get opportunities including job placement, participating in skill development, assistance to self-employment and safe migration provision, the declaration added.

The job bank needs to be established to facilitate re-employment of the retrenched RMG workers within and outside the textiles and garment sectors, it mentioned.

Meanwhile, an international conference on Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) phase out organised by BNC of Textile Garments and Leather Workers was held at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Friday.

Around 64 percent of the 20 lakh garment workers in Bangladesh still have no idea that they may lose their jobs due to the MFA phase out, according to a research carried out by INCIDIN Bangladesh.

Speaking at the conference, Neil Kearney said World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Bangla-desh government know the possible impact of MFA phase out but they have not yet taken adequate steps for the workers.

President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Annisul Huq said: "WTO report suggests that Bangladesh will lose around 50 percent of its market in the USA but will gain one third of its market share in Europe."

JC Penny, an American retail apparel chain, has mentioned that it currently imports from over 40 countries right now, but after the MFA phase out it will import from only around five countries and Bangladesh is among the five, he added.