Bangladesh

Over 4,000 workers at 5 factories in Bangladesh say that they have gone months without receiving their wages. Labor groups say that two of the factories were relocated suddenly and without proper notice, two others were ordered closed by the government, and a final factory is in the midst of an ownership dispute. The workers recently demonstrated in front of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) urging them to get involved in the issue and help recover their wages. (New Age BD)

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the United States fell 2.12% year-on-year between January and September to reach US$3.78 billion, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Textile and Apparel. Analysts say that ongoing concerns regarding factory safety and compliance have continued to drive buyers away to places like India and Vietnam. Rising production costs, including wages and energy prices, are also driving customers away, according to industry insiders. (Dhaka Tribune))

Members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) are now eligible to receive low-cost financing to construct living quarters for workers. The BGMEA has teamed up with the Bangladesh Bank to establish the “Grihayan Tahbil” fund which will support dormitory construction for some 20 million workers. Leaders with the BGMEA say that they are working to provide affordable housing to workers who are being squeezed by rising rents in the country. (The Financial Express)

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Spain could grow in the coming months, according to Spain’s ambassador to Bangladesh. The ambassador praised the progress the country has made to ensure factory safety and ethical working conditions in the wake of Rana Plaza and noted that Spanish retailers “will not have to look beyond Bangladesh” to source their goods. Last fiscal year, Bangladesh sold US$1.5 billion in clothes to Spanish retailers, up 24% from the previous year. (The Daily Star)