By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Oct 7 (UNB) – The new wage structure for garment workers that was announced on July 29 will come into effect from November 1 at any cost, Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said Thursday.
“We’ll sit before the end of this month with representatives of all the parties involved in the wage board to settle the objections, if any…but the new wage structure will be implemented from November 1,” he said at a function at BGMEA auditorium.
Minister Mosharraf also asked the garment workers to refrain from street demonstration, vandalism, creating anarchy and arson being misguided by NGOs.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) arranged the function to mark the inauguration of the world class Testing Laboratory for the RMG sector, distribution of group insurance cheques among family members of the deceased workers and cheques of stipend among the meritorious students of RMG workers.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Ministry M Israfil Alam, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Inditex SA, Antonio Abril Abadin and Spanish Ambassador Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze, among others, attended the function chaired by BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy.
The Minister urged both owners and workers to ensure sound environment in the promising garment industry by shunning the path of conflict.
“Let’s say, we won’t stay in confrontational position, the government is ready to settle the problems as third party…crisis management units are also there to look into any problem,” he said.
Mosarraf, however, warned that the government would be harsh if anybody approaches with ‘unjustified’ demand or if any negligence of owner is found in fulfilling workers’ demands.
He said the RMG sector is playing significant role in country’s economy with the contribution of 76-80 percent of total foreign earnings.
“Some 80 percent workforces of this sector are female and it sounds good that there is no child labour in this sector,” he said.
BGMEA president Murshedi sought cooperation from all especially from buyers in improving living standard of the workers. “Apart from the owners, the buyers have equal responsibility to ensure better lifestyle of workers.”
Antonio Abril said: “Our company is really proud of contributing to Bangladesh’s RMG sector…we’ve firm commitment to this country for its economic development.”
Spanish Ambassador Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze said: “We’ve been in close cooperation with Bangladesh and this cooperation will continue in the years to come.”
Later, the Minister distributed cheques of group insurance and stipends.
END/UNB/
Thursday, October 7, 2010
BGMEA, Spain-based Inditex jointly set up testing lab for RMG sector; It’ll reduce testing cost significantly, hopes BGMEA president
By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Oct 7 (UNB) – Country’s major export earning RMG sector is set to get an international standard laboratory for testing chemicals and dyes used in RMG products destined for export, which is expected to cut cost of testing significantly.
Inditex, a Spain-based group, whose success and unique business model based on innovation and flexibility have made it one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world, is providing technical support to set up the testing lab here jointly with the BGMEA.
Earlier, BGMEA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inditex in Spain on April 29 this year for setting up the laboratory.
First Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Inditex Group Pablo Isla Álvarez de Tejera and BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy signed the MoU for their respective sides.
Talking to UNB, BGMEA President Murshedy said: “We’ve already made the infrastructure for the Lab ready… process of appointing technical persons and installing machinery is on.”
Replying to a question, he said they would be able to provide Lab services to all RMG manufacturing units having the BGMEA membership within next two to three months.
“The RMG units have to spend lot of money for Lab tests…the cost of such tests would decrease significantly once the laboratory comes into operation. We’re here to provide services only, not to make profit,” said the BGMEA president.
He informed that five percent of the Lab’s income would be spent for the welfare of the RMG workers.
The first floor of the BGMEA Bhaban has been selected for the Laboratory considering easy access to its service seekers.
Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Minister Engr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain today (Thursday) formally inaugurated the under-installation laboratory.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Ministry M Israfil Alam, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Inditex SA Antonio Abril Abadin, Spanish Ambassador in Dhaka Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze, and BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy were present.
END/UNB/
Dhaka, Oct 7 (UNB) – Country’s major export earning RMG sector is set to get an international standard laboratory for testing chemicals and dyes used in RMG products destined for export, which is expected to cut cost of testing significantly.
Inditex, a Spain-based group, whose success and unique business model based on innovation and flexibility have made it one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world, is providing technical support to set up the testing lab here jointly with the BGMEA.
Earlier, BGMEA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inditex in Spain on April 29 this year for setting up the laboratory.
First Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Inditex Group Pablo Isla Álvarez de Tejera and BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy signed the MoU for their respective sides.
Talking to UNB, BGMEA President Murshedy said: “We’ve already made the infrastructure for the Lab ready… process of appointing technical persons and installing machinery is on.”
Replying to a question, he said they would be able to provide Lab services to all RMG manufacturing units having the BGMEA membership within next two to three months.
“The RMG units have to spend lot of money for Lab tests…the cost of such tests would decrease significantly once the laboratory comes into operation. We’re here to provide services only, not to make profit,” said the BGMEA president.
He informed that five percent of the Lab’s income would be spent for the welfare of the RMG workers.
The first floor of the BGMEA Bhaban has been selected for the Laboratory considering easy access to its service seekers.
Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Minister Engr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain today (Thursday) formally inaugurated the under-installation laboratory.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Ministry M Israfil Alam, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Inditex SA Antonio Abril Abadin, Spanish Ambassador in Dhaka Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze, and BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy were present.
END/UNB/
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Stern action to be taken against anyone found mixing urea with sugar: Barua
By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) – The government will take stern action under the existing laws against anyone found mixing urea with sugar, Industries Minister Dilip Barua told Parliament Sunday.
“BSTI has been instructed to collect sample of both packed and unpacked sugar of a number of brands from the open market to carry out test in the laboratories to identify whether any chemical has been mixed with sugar,” he said replying to a question of Hossain Mokbul Shahriar (Jatiya Party-Rangpur).
The Industries Minister said no such case of adulteration has been detected so far. “But the government is considering the matter with due importance,” he said and thanked the lawmaker for raising such an important question.
He also informed the House that Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) is investigating the allegation of mixing urea with sugar.
“Even if any organization of BSFIC’s marketing network is found involved, action will be taken against them as well,” Barua said.
Replying to a question of ABM Abul Kasem (AL-Chittagong), he said most of the works for Chittagong Chemical Complex to resume its operation have been completed.
The Industries Minister said that there is no sick industry under the Ministry of Industries.
Replying to a question of Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, he said the government formed a high-level committee to make the Chittagong Chemical Complex re-operational.
“We’ve also taken steps to modernize the losing sugar mills,” Barua said.
He said the Industries Ministry has taken an initiative to make a list of sick industries in the private sector.
END/UNB/AKM/
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) – The government will take stern action under the existing laws against anyone found mixing urea with sugar, Industries Minister Dilip Barua told Parliament Sunday.
“BSTI has been instructed to collect sample of both packed and unpacked sugar of a number of brands from the open market to carry out test in the laboratories to identify whether any chemical has been mixed with sugar,” he said replying to a question of Hossain Mokbul Shahriar (Jatiya Party-Rangpur).
The Industries Minister said no such case of adulteration has been detected so far. “But the government is considering the matter with due importance,” he said and thanked the lawmaker for raising such an important question.
He also informed the House that Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) is investigating the allegation of mixing urea with sugar.
“Even if any organization of BSFIC’s marketing network is found involved, action will be taken against them as well,” Barua said.
Replying to a question of ABM Abul Kasem (AL-Chittagong), he said most of the works for Chittagong Chemical Complex to resume its operation have been completed.
The Industries Minister said that there is no sick industry under the Ministry of Industries.
Replying to a question of Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, he said the government formed a high-level committee to make the Chittagong Chemical Complex re-operational.
“We’ve also taken steps to modernize the losing sugar mills,” Barua said.
He said the Industries Ministry has taken an initiative to make a list of sick industries in the private sector.
END/UNB/AKM/
Developing good relations with China right choice for Bangladesh, Dilip Barua tells Xinhua
By AKM Moinuddin (Xinhua)
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) - The relationship between China and Bangladesh has maintained steady development and the future of cooperation between the two countries will be very bright, Industries Minister Dilip Barua told news agency Xinhua.
“The relations will be bright years after years…developing good relations with China is the right choice for Bangladesh,” he said during an interview here ahead of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, which falls on October 4.
Barua said the successive governments of Bangladesh are very much interested to develop and promote the relationship with China.
“Whichever government comes, they have to make good relations with China, because through our experiences, China is a dependent friend.”
Bangladesh appreciates the foreign policy of the Chinese government, he said, adding: “…China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, whatever the system of the country is.”
“That is the beauty of the Chinese government which is led by the Communist Party of China,” added Barua, also the general secretary of Samyabadi Dal (M-L).
Highly praising the great economic achievement China has made over the last few decades, he said: “In the context of economic development, not only me but people of Bangladesh also think Chinese economic development is a miracle.”
He said during the recent global economic meltdown, many western countries have been attacked and prevented from developing their economy. But China still maintains a bit higher economic growth.
He appreciated the ability of the Chinese leaders in dealing with the economic crisis.
Barua said since the diplomatic relationship was established on October 4, 1975, China and Bangladesh have had many successful cooperation in many areas including diplomacy, economy, culture and defense.
He believed that the cooperation between the two countries will be further promoted and strengthened with the joint efforts of the two governments.
He said the present Bangladesh government has given high importance to developing the relations with China since it took office in January 2009.
Barua said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sincerely believes in `One China’ policy. “She always tries to advocate that China is our dependable friend.”
He said the successful visits by Hasina to China and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh this year have pushed the relationship between the two countries to a new level.
The Industries Minister said during her visit to Beijing, Hasina invited China to help Bangladesh build a deep-sea port in the Bay of Bengal and she also expressed the desire to make the road link between Bangladesh and China through Myanmar, which will bring economic benefit for both countries.
“With the multinational connectivity, our people to people relations will also be strengthened.”
He said China is successful because they have a good leadership which takes people's interest as priority. “Chinese leadership always tries to do not for themselves, but for the interest of the common people and the country. This is a very important thing.”
Barua said the leaders of Bangladesh should learn from the Chinese leaders - their pragmatism and their philosophy of working for the people. “It is a good lesson for Bangladesh as well as the world.”
With his own experience of visiting China over a dozen times since 1987, Barua thinks developing good relations with China is the right choice for Bangladesh.
END/UNB/AKM/
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) - The relationship between China and Bangladesh has maintained steady development and the future of cooperation between the two countries will be very bright, Industries Minister Dilip Barua told news agency Xinhua.
“The relations will be bright years after years…developing good relations with China is the right choice for Bangladesh,” he said during an interview here ahead of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, which falls on October 4.
Barua said the successive governments of Bangladesh are very much interested to develop and promote the relationship with China.
“Whichever government comes, they have to make good relations with China, because through our experiences, China is a dependent friend.”
Bangladesh appreciates the foreign policy of the Chinese government, he said, adding: “…China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, whatever the system of the country is.”
“That is the beauty of the Chinese government which is led by the Communist Party of China,” added Barua, also the general secretary of Samyabadi Dal (M-L).
Highly praising the great economic achievement China has made over the last few decades, he said: “In the context of economic development, not only me but people of Bangladesh also think Chinese economic development is a miracle.”
He said during the recent global economic meltdown, many western countries have been attacked and prevented from developing their economy. But China still maintains a bit higher economic growth.
He appreciated the ability of the Chinese leaders in dealing with the economic crisis.
Barua said since the diplomatic relationship was established on October 4, 1975, China and Bangladesh have had many successful cooperation in many areas including diplomacy, economy, culture and defense.
He believed that the cooperation between the two countries will be further promoted and strengthened with the joint efforts of the two governments.
He said the present Bangladesh government has given high importance to developing the relations with China since it took office in January 2009.
Barua said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sincerely believes in `One China’ policy. “She always tries to advocate that China is our dependable friend.”
He said the successful visits by Hasina to China and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh this year have pushed the relationship between the two countries to a new level.
The Industries Minister said during her visit to Beijing, Hasina invited China to help Bangladesh build a deep-sea port in the Bay of Bengal and she also expressed the desire to make the road link between Bangladesh and China through Myanmar, which will bring economic benefit for both countries.
“With the multinational connectivity, our people to people relations will also be strengthened.”
He said China is successful because they have a good leadership which takes people's interest as priority. “Chinese leadership always tries to do not for themselves, but for the interest of the common people and the country. This is a very important thing.”
Barua said the leaders of Bangladesh should learn from the Chinese leaders - their pragmatism and their philosophy of working for the people. “It is a good lesson for Bangladesh as well as the world.”
With his own experience of visiting China over a dozen times since 1987, Barua thinks developing good relations with China is the right choice for Bangladesh.
END/UNB/AKM/
BB governor favors inflation up to certain level to encourage growth; Subsidized credit at 2% interest for farmers to cultivate pulse, oilseeds,spices
By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) – Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Sunday favored inflation to a certain level for encouraging growth but expressed concern over food inflation.
“To encourage growth, we’ll have to tolerate inflation a bit…growth may be hampered if we go hard in containing inflation but we’re still worried over food inflation,” he said addressing the luncheon meeting of France-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFB) held at Hotel Sheraton in the city.
Dr Atiur made a multi-media presentation on ‘Role of Monetary Policy in Enhancing Inclusive Growth’ at the meeting chaired by CCIFB president Shah Sayed Kamal.
CCIFB Vice President Humayun Rashid and director Rifat Rashid, among others, also addressed the meeting.
Considering Monetary Policy as an important tool of growth, Dr Atiur said Bangladesh set a target of 8 percent growth by 2015 and 10 percent by 2021. He thinks the growth is achievable but sees energy and infrastructure as major challenges to reach the objectives.
“Since liberation war, Bangladesh has remarkably raised its per capita income four-fold and if such trend continues, Bangladesh will undoubtedly enter into the club of middle-income country soon,” he said.
The BB governor said Bangladesh is a well-capped secret which has lot of success stories to tell. “By nature, we always focus our failures much keeping the success stories untold.”
Sharing the government’s plan to improve the financial condition of farmers and bring prices of some essential commodities at tolerable level, he said: “We’re offering subsidized credit at 2 percent interest for the farmers to cultivate pulses, oilseeds and spices.”
Talking about the rising trend of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Dr Atiur said the FDI is largely redirected to Bangladesh from different countries in recent days despite global meltdown.
“The FDI are being diverted to Bangladesh from different countries…it’s a good sign and now we need to ensure energy and infrastructure to make the flow of FDI sustainable,” he said.
In his presentation, the BB governor showed how the export turned into positive growth coming out from the deep negative in the last fiscal.
On the issue of the development of banking sector, he said Bangladesh will soon have a ‘national switch’ to popularize e-commerce to get benefit of modern banking system.
He also said the central bank would turn into a fully automated body dumping paper-based documentation process. “We’ll soon turn into paper-less documentation body…everything will be done electronically…we’ve started following this partially.”
Justifying the Bangladesh Bank decision over buying gold recently from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr Atiur said: “We’re indeed lucky…gold price goes up and the government made profit worth over US$ 25 million in few days.”
END/UNB/AKM/
Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) – Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Sunday favored inflation to a certain level for encouraging growth but expressed concern over food inflation.
“To encourage growth, we’ll have to tolerate inflation a bit…growth may be hampered if we go hard in containing inflation but we’re still worried over food inflation,” he said addressing the luncheon meeting of France-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFB) held at Hotel Sheraton in the city.
Dr Atiur made a multi-media presentation on ‘Role of Monetary Policy in Enhancing Inclusive Growth’ at the meeting chaired by CCIFB president Shah Sayed Kamal.
CCIFB Vice President Humayun Rashid and director Rifat Rashid, among others, also addressed the meeting.
Considering Monetary Policy as an important tool of growth, Dr Atiur said Bangladesh set a target of 8 percent growth by 2015 and 10 percent by 2021. He thinks the growth is achievable but sees energy and infrastructure as major challenges to reach the objectives.
“Since liberation war, Bangladesh has remarkably raised its per capita income four-fold and if such trend continues, Bangladesh will undoubtedly enter into the club of middle-income country soon,” he said.
The BB governor said Bangladesh is a well-capped secret which has lot of success stories to tell. “By nature, we always focus our failures much keeping the success stories untold.”
Sharing the government’s plan to improve the financial condition of farmers and bring prices of some essential commodities at tolerable level, he said: “We’re offering subsidized credit at 2 percent interest for the farmers to cultivate pulses, oilseeds and spices.”
Talking about the rising trend of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Dr Atiur said the FDI is largely redirected to Bangladesh from different countries in recent days despite global meltdown.
“The FDI are being diverted to Bangladesh from different countries…it’s a good sign and now we need to ensure energy and infrastructure to make the flow of FDI sustainable,” he said.
In his presentation, the BB governor showed how the export turned into positive growth coming out from the deep negative in the last fiscal.
On the issue of the development of banking sector, he said Bangladesh will soon have a ‘national switch’ to popularize e-commerce to get benefit of modern banking system.
He also said the central bank would turn into a fully automated body dumping paper-based documentation process. “We’ll soon turn into paper-less documentation body…everything will be done electronically…we’ve started following this partially.”
Justifying the Bangladesh Bank decision over buying gold recently from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr Atiur said: “We’re indeed lucky…gold price goes up and the government made profit worth over US$ 25 million in few days.”
END/UNB/AKM/
Govt to evict all makeshift shops from capital’s footpaths from Nov 1; no doubt over timely start of Padma Bridge construction work:Com Minister
By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Oct 2 (UNB) – Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain today reiterated that the Padma Bridge would be constructed by the current tenure of the government and there is no doubt over the timely start of the work in next few months.
“We’ve progressed much through completion of land acquisition, bridge design and managing fund for the project …People will see work of the project from next year,” he said while addressing a seminar at DCCI conference hall.
Hosain said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is very sincere to implement the project on time, which will boost GDP growth by 1.3 percent.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) arranged the seminar on “National Communication Infrastructure: Role of Private Sector” where experts, engineers and business leaders taking part suggested for better roads and railway communication system in the country.
Replying to queries from the participants the Minister said the government has taken a bold step to remove all makeshift shops from Dhaka’s footpaths for proper utilization of walkways.
“The drive will start from November 1 and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authority has already been instructed to clear the footpaths in the city,” he said.
In response to a query on government’s plan to ensure hassle-free bus journey within the capital he said more than 1,000 buses would soon but gradually pressed into the city. The buses are being imported from China, Korea and India.
“Some 300 buses will be imported from Korea, 650 busses from India and 175 buses from China,” Minister Hossain said urging the businessmen to reduce dependence on use of cars that largely contribute to the traffic jam.
He said the government has been trying its best to keep Dhaka city free from traffic congestion. A number of projects including elevated expressway has been take up to remove the traffic jam. He assured that the projects would not be conflicting to each other.
Touching the neglected railway sector he viewed that it had been destroyed in the seven-year tenure of BNP-Jamaat government and caretaker government when not a single project was implemented for its development or maintenance.
“We’ve taken massive programs at a cost of Tk 6,000 crore for the development of railway sector that include purchase of locomotive and passenger coaches,” he said and added orders to procure them from abroad in most cases have already been placed. It is expected people would shortly get benefit of the improved railway communication.
On commuter service he said the government is actively considering introducing train services on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Narayanganj routes. This will reduce the pressure on roads.
“Meanwhile, he said overpass or underpass in every important point where traffic jam is severe are being constructed,” he said.
The Communications Minister invited the business leaders to join hands with the government if they are interested to build any overpass or underpass in Dhaka. “I’ll ensure approval from the government if you come up with proposals,” he said.
DCCI president Abul Kashem Khan, Institute of Development Strategy Chairman Mustafizur Rahman, coordinating director of National Communication, Transportation and Infrastructure Development Waliur Rahman, Khairul Majid Mahmood and Shahjahan Khan took part in the nearly 4-hour lengthy discussion.
END/UNB/AKM
Dhaka, Oct 2 (UNB) – Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain today reiterated that the Padma Bridge would be constructed by the current tenure of the government and there is no doubt over the timely start of the work in next few months.
“We’ve progressed much through completion of land acquisition, bridge design and managing fund for the project …People will see work of the project from next year,” he said while addressing a seminar at DCCI conference hall.
Hosain said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is very sincere to implement the project on time, which will boost GDP growth by 1.3 percent.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) arranged the seminar on “National Communication Infrastructure: Role of Private Sector” where experts, engineers and business leaders taking part suggested for better roads and railway communication system in the country.
Replying to queries from the participants the Minister said the government has taken a bold step to remove all makeshift shops from Dhaka’s footpaths for proper utilization of walkways.
“The drive will start from November 1 and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authority has already been instructed to clear the footpaths in the city,” he said.
In response to a query on government’s plan to ensure hassle-free bus journey within the capital he said more than 1,000 buses would soon but gradually pressed into the city. The buses are being imported from China, Korea and India.
“Some 300 buses will be imported from Korea, 650 busses from India and 175 buses from China,” Minister Hossain said urging the businessmen to reduce dependence on use of cars that largely contribute to the traffic jam.
He said the government has been trying its best to keep Dhaka city free from traffic congestion. A number of projects including elevated expressway has been take up to remove the traffic jam. He assured that the projects would not be conflicting to each other.
Touching the neglected railway sector he viewed that it had been destroyed in the seven-year tenure of BNP-Jamaat government and caretaker government when not a single project was implemented for its development or maintenance.
“We’ve taken massive programs at a cost of Tk 6,000 crore for the development of railway sector that include purchase of locomotive and passenger coaches,” he said and added orders to procure them from abroad in most cases have already been placed. It is expected people would shortly get benefit of the improved railway communication.
On commuter service he said the government is actively considering introducing train services on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Narayanganj routes. This will reduce the pressure on roads.
“Meanwhile, he said overpass or underpass in every important point where traffic jam is severe are being constructed,” he said.
The Communications Minister invited the business leaders to join hands with the government if they are interested to build any overpass or underpass in Dhaka. “I’ll ensure approval from the government if you come up with proposals,” he said.
DCCI president Abul Kashem Khan, Institute of Development Strategy Chairman Mustafizur Rahman, coordinating director of National Communication, Transportation and Infrastructure Development Waliur Rahman, Khairul Majid Mahmood and Shahjahan Khan took part in the nearly 4-hour lengthy discussion.
END/UNB/AKM
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