25.10.01

Greetings from Bangladesh and National Garments Workers Federation.You know-more than 1000 garment factories are closed and near 300000 workers are now Jobless.We think-It is due to the US Economic discrimination policy for Bangladesh. Concerning this issue, we had organized a press conference day before yesterday 23.10.01.I am writing the short report from one of our English Daily.

In Solidarity
Amirul Haque Amin
General Secretary
National Garments Workers Federation


The Report

"300,000 garment workers become unemployed"

"A labour federation yesterday urged the US authorities to allow duty and quota-free market access of apparel items from Bangladesh to save some 16(1600000) lakh garment workers, reports UNB.

Around 300,000 garment workers have already lost their jobs and more stand under the threat, National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) general secretary Amirul Haque Amin told a press conference at its office at Topkhana Road.

He said the jobless workers are now passing inhuman life and staging demonstrations in different garment industry areas almost cvery day.

"Misery of many of the jobless workers accentuated as they were retrenched without compensation and many of the entrepreneurs did not pay wage arrears," the union leader told journalists.

Amin said the setback of the RMG industry was due to US TDA 2000 that awarded duty and quota-free market access to 72 Sub-Saharan and African countries leaving Bangladesh incompetitive.

The federation announced its plan for submitting a memorandum to US Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday urging duty and quota free market access.

To protect the industry, main export earner for the country, of the government to take immddiate measures to get the market access and remove the barriers in European markets."

The Independent
Wesnesday 24Th October,2001
Page 3

Contents
www.agp.org