The ‘green dream’ of Bangladesh garment entrepreneurs seems to be going down the drain as they are not getting the expected benefits from retailers and brands. As per a Daily Star report, garment entrepreneurs in Bangladesh have invested hundreds of crores of taka to set up green factories across the country. Though these units are helping buyers source products from eco-friendly factories besides improving the image of the entire supply chain, they are not fetching premium prices from brands and retailers, said Md Fazlul Hoque, Managing Director, Plummy Fashions at the launch of an initiative of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh at the Brac Centre Inn in Dhaka.

Hoque added, green garment factories get only a 2 per cent rebate on final settlement of income tax. Bangladesh currently has 157 green factories, the highest in the world. Nearly 500 more garment factories in the country are awaiting their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certifications, he informed

Industry leaders demand duty waivers

Nazma Akter, Founder and Executive Director, Awaj Foundation, a labor rights organization, urged buyers to pay fair prices for garment items produced at green factories as their production involves huge investments. Green factories should also attend to the welfare of the workers, especially female employees, she added. Consumers have been paying fair prices for goods produced in green garment factories. Yet, exporters fail to get their due, alleged Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). To resolve this, the government needs to waive duties on imported chemicals used in green factories and reduce source tax, he opined.

Policy makers urge for new marketing initiatives

Christine Johansson, Deputy Head-Mission, Embassy of Sweden, urged manufacturers to introduce new marketing drives to get better prices. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, also called for measures to increase apparel prices to solve current issues.

Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD sums up, manufacturers should fashion their green initiatives according to workers’ needs. Meanwhile, the garment industry will soon set new environmental standards.