A 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 to urge him to highlight the issue of ethical pricing of garment items in different global forums to ensure a sustainable industry.
Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA emphasized on 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.
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.
