The Dhaka Times Desk There are problems in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry, but the government is taking quick steps to solve them. Bangladesh will bring reforms in the garment sector. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this in an interview with CNN. Yesterday, after this interview was aired on the international news media CNN, discussions started across the country.
The Prime Minister said, "The government is sincere in protecting the workers. The government is not giving any exemption to those responsible in the Savar incident.” Sheikh Hasina also reminded the responsibility of foreign companies to take advantage of Bangladesh's cheap labor market to improve the quality of life of workers. He claimed that his government has created a favorable environment for foreign investment. News from Bangladesh news24.com.
CNN claimed that even though the CNN reporter wanted to come to Dhaka for a direct interview, the Bangladesh government did not grant him a visa. Christine Amanpour, chief correspondent of CNN's international affairs, made this complaint during an interview. However, Sheikh Hasina directly rejected it and said, "It is not true. My government has not blocked any foreign media.”
Sheikh Hasina also said, “The garment industry of Bangladesh has problems, but the government has already formed a committee to ensure safety of workers and buildings. This committee will give their recommendations to the Cabinet. We will work one by one to improve the situation.”
When Christine pointed out the fact that there are only 18 inspectors for numerous garment factories in and around Dhaka, the Prime Minister said, "We are not just relying on those inspectors."
He said that before the collapse of Rana Plaza, the amended labor law to protect workers' rights has been raised in the cabinet and it will be passed in the parliament soon.
Amid criticism of Savar's collapse, the prime minister pointed out workplace accidents in developed countries like America. He also said that 14 people were killed in an explosion at a sugar factory in the American state of Texas last month. Hasina said, "Any accident can happen anywhere in the world. None of us can make any preconceived notions about this."
Appreciating the action taken by the local administration on the day before the building collapse, he said, therefore, it is not true that the government has not taken any initiative. The Prime Minister blamed Sohel Rana, the owner of five factories, for the loss of life in the building collapse. He informed the government's position that they will not be exempted.
Hasina said, "The law will run at its own pace. Criminals are definitely criminals, all kinds of action will be taken against them. I want to assure you that this is our promise to the people."
Sheikh Hasina said that the government will not spare a businessman if he commits a crime, similarly it is not right to blame the entire businessman due to an accident.
He appealed to the foreign buyers who buy clothes from Bangladesh to pay higher prices, so that the quality of life of the workers would improve in that sense.
In the interview, CNN raised the issue of labor leader Aminul Islam's murder, which the American government has been expressing dissatisfaction with. At that time, the prime minister said that the investigation into Aminul's murder was going on, "No one knew that he was a labor leader. It will be known only after the recovery of the body."
It should be noted that in the context of the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar, the worker was killed in an interview on CNN. This interview of the Prime Minister from Dhaka was broadcast on Friday, May 3 in the first hour.
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