Leaders of the country's apparel sector urged the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to place the issue of ethical pricing of garment items in different global forums to ensure a sustainable industry.
They made the call when a visiting Bangladeshi delegation comprising leaders of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) met ILO Director-General Guy Ryder at the ILO headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday, according to a statement.
Speaking at the meeting, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan emphasised the need to ensure fair prices of garment items to make the apparel industry more sustainable, positively impacting the well-being of garment workers.
Production costs in garment manufacturing have gone up due to the spiralling prices of yarn, chemicals and other raw materials and high shipping charges, but prices offered by the buyers do not reflect the reality and rationality, he said.
BEF president Ardashir Kabir, BKMEA executive president Mohammad Hatem, BGMEA standing committee chair on ILO issue A N M Saifuddin and BEF secretary general Farooq Ahmed were present in the meeting.
The delegation apprised the ILO director-general of the current situation of the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh, challenges and opportunities.
They also highlighted how the RMG industry of Bangladesh has gone through the tangible transformation in the areas of workplace safety, labour standards, and environmental sustainability.
With these achievements, Bangladesh has earned the global accolades and recognition as one of a safe and ethical apparel sourcing destinations in the world, they said.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com