It was anticipated that a sharp decline in export of readymade garments might start in 2005 with the discontinuation of quota system. However, due to untiring effort and somewhat satisfactory support from the government the industry has been able to overcome the initial danger. In fact it is doing better (due mainly to the spectacular performance of knitwear exports).

Though we do not blame the government fully for the present crisis it has been accepted that the government did not pay enough attention to the welfare of the garment workers who are really responsible for the spectacular performance of the industry. Even BGMEA failed to realise fully the suffering of the poor garment workers. The exporters flourished mainly because of sub-contracting business. As such a high inflationary condition hurts the smaller units more than the larger ones who can absorb the inflationary shocks better than smaller ones. To make the products competitive the exporters go for lower quotations by paying the workers inadequately in these hard days when prices of almost all essential items are surpassing all past records in the country. There is no answer as to where these poor workers will receive the extra money they need for surviving.

The garment factory owners must realise that they are earning due to the hard labour of these workers. If these workers do not survive the industries will have to be closed. Is it not reasonable for the owners to sacrifice some of their comforts for the survival of the workers?

The government must not overlook the interest of the workers. It must see to the security aspect of the workers particularly the women workers. The police may be advised to behave nicely with the workers. The patrol police, if necessary, should help the women workers leaving the factories late at night.

The BGMEA must ensure the following:

-- All the unpaid salaries, overtime wages must be cleared immediately by the RMG factory owners;

-- Basic wages must be paid for all;

-- Harassment by employees loyal to the owners must be stopped; and

-- Pay may be increased keeping in view the high inflation rate (6.65%), pay hike of the government employees and depreciation of Taka.

We see that trouble started from the Savar export processing zone. It is well known that pay and other benefits are higher in the EPZ than pay and allowances of the domestic firms. Thus it may not be surprising if we hear of greater grievances from workers in domestic factories.

It is unfortunate that the government is, as usual, trying to put the blame on the Indian garment manufacturers. This is not fair judgement. It may be true that competitors from other countries would be benefited from the crisis in the garment industry in Bangladesh. This does not mean that we have to put blame on others to cover up our follies or faults.

It is well known that the majority of garment factory owners are not good paymasters so far as their workers are concerned. It must be borne in mind that both owners and workers of garment industries are important to the government. If the interest of the workers is neglected the industry will start shrinking within a short time. It is time that trade unionism is allowed in garment factories (rather cautiously).

In this regard we may point out to the recommendations of the ITGLWF which warned us repeatedly of the increasing frustration at the payment of starvation wages, excessive hours of work, cheating on piece work, falsification of over time rates, abusive treatment and appalling health and safety condition. Last year the government legalised a 72-hour work week. In reality things are worse. Workers are seen working even on Friday (supposed to be their weekly day of rest) in hundreds of factories. Sometimes workers are forced to work round the clock. It has come to the notice of the general secretary of ITGLWF that in a garment factory owned by a senior member of BGMEA, an employee after working 29 days for 12 hours a day earned only Tk 400 (less than $6) a month (less than half the legal minimum wage).

BGMEA have not accepted the complaint of low wages and poor working conditions of the workers. The ITGLWF have advised the government to undertake an urgent inquiry into the root cause of the riots. The problems identified so far are, (a) excessively long working hours, (b) low rates of basic earnings, (c) abuses in piece rate, (d) late payment of wages, (e) child labour, (f) issues of structural and fire safety, (g) corrupt police practice of charging workers on flimsiest evidence, (h) the practice of supervisors acting as labour contractors who illegally take off a percentage of workers' wages, (i) the practice of using hired goons to terrorise and intimidate workers, and (j) behaviour of the police and other para-military forces when unrest occurs.

In the present situation the government must become serious about redressing the grievances of the workers as far as possible, and as quickly as possible, in consultation with the BGMEA. We must not forget that our competitiveness in the international market depends mainly on the availability of cheap labour. In case of continued labour unrest we may have to lose the export market once and for all. The readymade garment manufacturers are well advised to be ready even for sacrificing a big chunk of their profit for saving the workers at the starvation level. We are certain that if the workers are reasonably happy the garment exporters will see better days in the future because of our established reputation not only as the cheapest supplier but also as a supplier of products with better finishing.

ABMS Zahur is a retired Joint Secretary.