Bangladesh’s apparel manufacturers say vested interests are working hard to create unrest in its garment industry and this is part of a conspiracy to blacken the reputation of the industry. Siddiqur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) says appealed to garment workers “not to heed” to the “call of the conspirators” and that it would “harm the workers more than it would the industry.” The BGMEA chief was speaking at a programme, which was arranged at BGMEA auditorium in Dhaka, to compensate workers who died during work at various garment manufacturing factories in Bangladesh. 150 families were paid BDT 2,00,000 each, sourced from a Group Insurance fund that all BGMEA-enlisted factories have to comply with for the security of their workforce.

This was just one of the many compensation provided over a period of time to the family of deceased workers. These families are not victims of industrial disasters. The programme was also attended by Mohammed Nasir, Vice President (Finance), BGMEA, Atiqul Hassan and Ashiqur Rahman, Directors of the governing body of the trade association. Bangladesh government had also stated in the past that vested quarters are out to tarnish the image of Bangladesh’s biggest export sector the readymade garments segment. The administration too is keeping a close watch on NGOs that are working in the apparel sector, to see if they are inciting unrest in any way.