Bangladesh questioned at US hearing on RMG exports: Labor rights, efficiency and wages under scrutiny

One of the USITC commissioners asked whether the average work efficiency and production power of Bangladeshi workers was higher than that of Cambodia. He asked whether workers could produce comparatively more products despite having lower wages than Cambodian workers. Farooq Hasan replied, “It is not possible for me to say whether Bangladeshi workers are more […]

RMG Sector: $2.44 billion decline in US exports raises hopes of summer orders

Sheikh HM Mustafiz, managing director of Cute Dress Industries, informed Prothom Alo that purchase orders from the United States are increasing along with an increase in orders from Canada and South America. Last year, demand for readymade garments declined, leading to fewer purchase orders due to high stocks of goods in various US warehouses. However, […]

Government’s decision to cut export incentives raises concerns in Bangladesh

Exporters say the global economy is going through stress due to the coronavirus pandemic, followed by the Russia-Ukraine war and the Hamas-Israel war. Demand for various products including readymade garments has decreased. In these difficult times, the size of the Export Development Fund (EDF) was reduced last year. The cost of business is continuously increasing. […]

US sanctions and Bangladesh’s labor rights: Business leaders speak at Dhaka seminar

Somewhat echoing the voice of factory owners on labor rights issues, Amirul Haq, president of labor coalition body Industrial Bangladesh Council (IBC), said there have been several talks on restrictions recently. “However, we want to make it clear that the country is not in such a bad position to face sanctions. Labor standards have improved […]