Rmg Sector

RMG sector

Abstract

The  phase-out  of  the  quota  is  likely  to  have  particular significance  for  the export of Bangladesh apparels  to  the US market. MFA’s  impacts  are  not much  related  to  a  question  of  our  $2  billion exports  to  the  USA;  or  the  $5  billion  worth  of  exports  made  by Bangladesh  globally.  Rather, it is a question of how Bangladesh’s entire economy will be affected by the issue of quota phase out. RMG exports  constitute  about  75%  of  Bangladesh’s  annual  export  and provide  direct  employment  to  1.5  million  females  and  indirectly  an additional 8 to 10 million people. The global clothing trade is evolving on a continuous basis and that the phase out of quota restrictions and forming of trade blocs has become a reality. Moreover Bangladesh is convulsed by fierce class struggles, centered on the country’s garment industry.  Many  tens  of  thousands  of  workers have  gone  on  strike,  blocked  roads,  attacked  factories  and  other buildings,  demonstrated,  fought  the  police  and  rioted  in  the  streets. Every  day  comes  news  of  fresh  strikes  in  a  variety  of  industries —mainly  the  ready-made garment (RMG) sector, but also mill workers, river  transport  workers,  rail  workers,  journalists,  lecturers  and teachers.  The  revolt  began  on  20  May2006  with  garment  workers’ strikes  in  the  Bangladeshi  capital  Dhaka  —  beginning  in  a  small number of factories over issues including the arrest of worker activists and  non-payment  of  wages.  By  23 May2006  this  struggle  had  been generalized,  with  action  at  a  much  larger  number  of  factories  and demonstrations  across  the  city. A massive  army  and  police  presence around  garment  factories,  in  some  cases  completely  blockading  and creating check points for entry to Export Processing Zones, temporarily calmed  things;  but  strikes  continued  to  take  place  at  numerous factories,  leading  to ...