Trade embargo, if any will be political; it must be faced diplomatically

Executive President of Knitwear Apparel Owners and Exporters Association-BKMEA, Mohammad Hatim, said the United States has no moral right to impose trade embargo on Bangladesh.

However, if any action is taken, it would be political and the country must deal with it diplomatically.

He said it in a round table discussion at the National Press Club on Wednesday.  Amit K Biswas, editor of Apparel News conducted the programme while Jatiya Press Club General Secretary  and Bhorer Kagoj Editore Shyamal Dutta presided over the meeting.

He said Bangabandhu signed the ILO Convention in 1974. America, China, India and Vietnam are yet to sign it. The US has signed only two of the eight core conventions on workers rights. Bangladesh has signed all.

The BKMEA executive president said, "America talks about the issue of labour rights as a right, a moral right. In no case is there a right to impose trade restrictions or duties on this question.

However, if America takes any action in political consideration, Bangladesh government will have to deal with it diplomatically. Factory owners will be with the government."

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Faruque Hassan said, they fear that the year 2023 would not go well. Russia-Ukraine war is severely impacting global market; inflation is reducing buyers purchasing power.
 Every country in the world has negative growth.

After that, we are still able to maintain positive growth; we will try our best to maintain it in future as well. He said we are working towards an export target of $100 billion; it needs the interest rate to be reduced.

The President of the Institution of Textile Engineers and Technologists (ITET) Engineer Md. Shafiqur Rahman said, "Our industry has improved a lot after the collapse of Rana Plaza. Our labor rights have improved. All the labor law amendments have gone in favor of the workers."

He said, the industry is doing well with the export target. But is worried for negative news in the media, it creates anxiety. He said harassment from labor unions has no basis. Workers are getting annual increment at the rate of 5 percent.

Dhaka University (DU) professor and analyst Subodh Debnath said, "We have to do branding now. New markets should be captured through branding. In this case, we have to use our missions abroad. They have to do business diplomacy.

DU professor and analyst Dr. Md. Abu Yusuf said, "Nine of the worlds top 10 factories are in Bangladesh. 206 green factories are now in our country.

It should be presented to buyer as such. Moreover, skilled workers should be developed; mid label management officials in the apparel sector must be groomed.