Brands have stood by Bangladesh – we must honour their support: A Call for Solidarity

Chittagong- The world is watching Bangladesh right now. The events of the past few weeks which culminated in the fleeing of our former Prime Minister have been beamed around the globe. What kind of image are these images portraying to the international community?

On the one hand, there has been a sense political unrest which has manifested itself in deadly violence at times. On the other, there is also an appreciation of a relatively young country – we were only ‘born’ in 1971 – still adjusting, still finding its political feet.

But what about from a business perspective and our most important industry, garment manufacturing?

International buyers are understandably concerned about the ongoing developments in Bangladesh, despite a sense of stability having now been restored with the implementation Government with the globally respected Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. This is a positive step and, from a political perspective, it would appear that Muhammad Yunus is the perfect candidate to restore peace and order to Bangladesh.

However, now that political stability has been restored, it’s time for the business community to also unite as one and put aside any differences for the greater good.

There is and always has been a huge level of interest there is in Bangladesh. Our garment industry is in the spotlight no other.

?Remember, also, many Western countries are currently in the heightened vacation season. The news agenda is relatively quiet. In the textile industry, there are no trade shows and not many new announcements. There is not much to report on.

This means that any disagreements or disharmony within our garment industry will they dominate the news agenda. This is the absolute last thing Bangladesh’s garment industry needs right now.

So my message is this: now is the time for all of us as garment manufacturers to put aside any differences. If we have disagreements – and we will, that is only normal – let us share them behind closed doors.

We should not be airing our dirty laundry in public. This is business suicide.

In the past few days, many international textile and fashion bodies have expressed their warmth and solidarity towards Bangladesh.

Cascale – formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) – has issued a statement. It said: “Cascale stands with the people of Bangladesh which includes valued partners and affiliates. We urge all brands sourcing or engaging in Bangladesh to engage proactively and collectively prioritize human rights and responsible business conduct as Bangladesh navigates these challenges.”

Our biggest customer, H&M, has pledged to maintain a close dialogue with its suppliers and not to seek discounts for orders delayed by the current crisis. I fully expect other buyers to follow suit and pledge their commitment to Bangladesh.

The UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative has issued a statement calling on international buyers to adjust their expectations and purchasing practices to adapt to the challenging circumstances in Bangladesh. They called for engagement with suppliers to understand the current impacts.

The Fair Wear Foundation has also shared a statement. It said: “We strongly recommend garment brands sourcing from Bangladesh to engage with their suppliers in the country as best possible to jointly discuss how to navigate these extraordinary circumstances.”

In short, despite our problems, there is so much goodwill towards Bangladesh – from buyers, NGOs and other global fashion sector stakeholders.

Labor rights groups have also commented. On this front, one misconception I believe it is important to clear up is that the protests of recent weeks are about quotas and nothing more. They are not connected to the rise in the minimum wage. These are separate issues. On this front, all I would say is that if labor rights groups want to support garment workers right now, the best thing they can do is back calls for solidarity and unity within the industry. We must all sing from the same hymn sheet as we need brands to have faith and trust in our industry and to continue to place orders which support meaningful jobs for garment workers.

Finally, we must remember that brands do not have to commit to Bangladesh. They could easily walk away.

We should therefore honor that commitment by doing our part as an industry. This means operating responsibly and in a unified manner, always with an eye on our global reputation.

Brands will not continue to source from a country where there is infighting and disharmony within the main trade body. This reflects badly on them and, remember, brands are highly conscious of image and reputation.

?Petty squabbles and video footage of violence among trade body members will only tarnish our reputation. It is time to put all our differences aside and work for the greater good our industry and the people that make all possible – garment workers.

Mostafiz Uddin is the managing director of Denim Expert Limited. He is also the founder and CEO of Bangladesh Denim Expo and Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE).