Following the student-led revolution that overthrew the nation’s despotic prime minister, Bangladesh’s key garment sector suffered $400 million in losses as a result of instability, industry executives said on Sunday, maintaining that the situation was now “stable.”
Around 85% of the South Asian country’s $55 billion in yearly exports come from its 3,500 textile factories, but the upheaval seriously disrupted the vital sector.
On August 5, after months of violent protests, Sheikh Hasina, the former leader, fled by helicopter to India’s border.
After Muhammad Yunus, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, took over as interim leader, workers at many clothing companies continued to demonstrate for greater wages and employment opportunities.
These protests occasionally descended into violence. A garment worker lost his life and twenty others were hurt on September 30 as demonstrators and police clashed.
The Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation president, Kalpana Akhtar, stated on Sunday that the government and industry owners needed to adopt a “dramatic change in the attitude.”
“The discussion about pay raises only takes place when the workers take to the streets”, Akhtar told AFP.
She said changes were needed “to ensure stability in this sector”, warning that “otherwise, the calm situation might not last.”
Bangladesh is the world’s second-biggest exporter of clothing by value after China and supplies many of the world’s top brands, including Levi’s, Zara and H&M.
Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said that the “industry is currently stable after going through a challenging period”.
Islam, speaking to reporters on Saturday, estimated losses since August to total around $400 million, and said security forces needed to continue protecting the industry.
“The army formed a task force to protect the factories, and they are conducting regular patrols to ensure security at the garment hubs”, Islam said.
“The buyers have regained their trust in Bangladeshi apparel, but uninterrupted law and order is essential to maintain stability”.
