Environmental compliance survey in RMG sector starts

Survey programme of the environmental compliance project on ready-made garments (RMG) sector was inaugurated Saturday to increase green production capability in the sector and attract more foreign buyers.

The South-Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) along with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Export Oriented Garments Washing Industries Owners Association (BEOGWIOA) launched the project. The inaugural session of the survey was held at Interstoff Apparels Limited in Gazipur.

SEDF is assisting the associations to conduct environmental assessments on up to 250 member factories with washing, dying and finishing facilities, and create an interactive database of the environmental compliance standards.

They are also training compliance officers of the RMG units to carry out environmental assessments, so that the associations can monitor the situation on a regular basis.

Under the project, a study is underway to identify best Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP), and the assessment process is expected to be completed by July 2011.

Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, acting president of BGMEA, was the chief guest of the programme. He said the collaboration with SEDF is assisting us to promote environment compliance standards in the local industry to ensure long-term sustainability.

-FE, Sun, 09/01/2011

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Textile mill sealed, fined Tk 2.24cr for pollution

Factory keeps ETP shut, discharges waste into vast wetland, farmland in Mymensingh

The Department of Environment (DoE) yesterday sealed Experience Textiles Ltd, a Pakistani venture for fabric dyeing at Bhaluka in Mymensingh, and fined it Tk 2.24 crore for polluting over 232 acres of agricultural land.

This is the highest amount of fine ever imposed by the DoE.

Officials involved in the DoE drive that detected such a massive pollution said the factory authorities kept their effluent treatment plant (ETP) shut, and were discharging liquid toxic pollutants through a pipeline in Kakchhara and Sadhuya beels (wetlands) and agricultural lands around.

They wanted to hide their misdeed by covering with large polythene sheets the spot where the pollutants are discharged from the pipeline, said Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, DoE director of enforcement and monitoring.

The pipeline was blocked yesterday.

The affected locals hailed the drive as they had repeatedly complained about it earlier only in vain.

“Local people are very happy as the factory owners were ignoring their demand for an end to polluting their cultivable land,” said Munir.

During the drive, experts examined samples of the liquid waste collected from the spot and examined it.

And they found the waste very harmful for crops, aquatic species and human health, said a press release of the DoE.

Hundreds of local people gathered at the site when drive was conducted. They alleged that the factory polluted their farm lands for long.

The factory involving an investment of over Tk 100 crore started operation nearly two years ago. Pakistani national Maksud Ahmed, managing director of factory, was present during the drive. 

- Daily Star, 30-12-2010

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Business leaders vow to be united against hartal

Country's business leaders Wednesday vowed to stand united against any destructive political programme including hartal as it gravely affects national economy.
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They were addressing a discussion meeting on the current state of economy and politics organised by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its conference room.

FBCCI president AK Azad presided over the meeting.

A number of business personalities who attended the meeting urged the country's apex trade body to suggest the government to enact a law banning observance of hartal in the country for the interest of the economy.

The leading businesses including presidents of International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB,B), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) and other leading chambers, chiefs of two state-owned banks and private bankers addressed the meeting.

A number of former FBCCI presidents and different association leaders also participated the programme.

The leading business personalities said the FBCCI should form a committee to meet the prime minister and the opposition leader to convince them how to shun destructive political programme.

Addressing the function, FBCCI president AK Azad said: "We, representing more than 30 million business people, would not sit idle in the face of any destructive political programme that threatens the economy and public life."

"The FBCCI board will sit together after December 2 (upon completion of a business tour of Japan), where we'll discuss the suggestions that have been noted down from today's discussion," Azad said.

Mahbubur Rahman, president of the ICC,B, said: "We've been protesting the hartal programmes for long as it affects the economy largely."

Mr Mahbub, also a former FBCCI president viewed that political leaders often break their promises.

ICCB,B chief said: "The culture of hartal will come to an end once we go in a body against it."

The country's leading business persons discussed nearly three hours on the hartal programme at the meeting.

MA Kasem, founding chairman of South East Bank said: "We might organise dialogue on the issue to avert the future hartal programmes."

Mr Kasem, also a former FBCCI president, said the country's economy is moving fast over the past few months saying: "Our economy will stand on strong footing if the trend remains uninterrupted for few years more."

Former FBCCI president Yousuf Abdullah Harun urged the opposition to go to parliament to press home their demands.

"There is no serious issue which warrants destructive street politics like hartal," Mr Harun added.

Mr Harun said: "It'll be difficult for us to accept hartal if you don't go to parliament."

Akram Hossain, another former FBCCI chief said: "We might announce programmes in a bid to stop hartal in future."

Annisul Huq, president of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: "We were always against hartal, we're against hartal and our stand will remain against hartal."

Mr Annis, however, urged the opposition leader, "Display your grievances in another form, not calling hartal."

Abul Kashem Khan, DCCI president said: "Nations like Vietnam and Cambodia are deriving their gains from our hartal programme."

Mr Kashem said the investors and buyers divert their attention to alternative countries when hartal or any other destructive programme is enforced.

He said the country's economy might achieve eight or nine per cent growth by simply ensuring free movement on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, hassle-free Chittagong port and power.

"We're just sitting in the middle of two crocodiles…. We must come forward for an end to hartal programmes."

Nazrul Islam Majumdar, president of Bankers Association of Bangladesh (BAB) said: "We must avoid hartal as it might invite 1/11 again in the country."

He said all business persons suffered during 1/11 changeover.

Mr Majumdar who is also chairman of Exim Bank said parliament will take time to enact a law banning the hartal.

He suggested the formation of a committee to meet the opposition leader and prime minister to stop the hartal in future.

Chairman of Rupali Bank Ahmed al Kabir said: "We need to create a social movement against the hartal."

Khondoker Bazlul Hoque, chairman of state-owned Agrani Bank said: "We should observe all-out programmes."

Mr Bazlul who is also a professor of University of Dhaka said: "Hartal is not prohibited in a democratic country, but it is not also widely accepted."

Manzurul Hoque, senior vice president of Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: "We might take decision that we will not exercise our franchise during the general elections."

He said more than 30 million business peoples might demonstrate their grievances in such an innovative way.

Amir Hossain Khan, president of Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity said: "We'll open shops after 2:0 pm during the hartal as a move to protest the hartal."

Besides, presidents of Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gazipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice president Habibur Rahman, BAIRA president Abul Bashar, among others, addressed the meeting.

-FE, Thu, 25/11/2010

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Bangladesh tops Lonely Planet's 'Best-Value Destinations 2011'

In what should act as a significant boost to the country’s tourism sector, Bangladesh has been ranked number-1 in Lonely Planet’s list of the Best-Value Destinations for 2011.

The list came out as part of the leading travel guidebook publisher’s Best in Travel 2011 publication, coming out this week, and draws on the “knowledge, passion and miles travelled” by Lonely Planet staff, authors, and 600,000-strong online community to present the best places to go and things to do around the world to its readers.

More details behind the rationale for the ranking are expected to emerge in the coming days, with a briefing on the best-value list. But judging from recent editions of the list, it should not be perceived as one containing only ‘cheap’ destinations. Rather, the list is based on travellers “getting their money’s worth.”

Last year’s list included destinations like Iceland, London, Malaysia and Las Vegas.

Previously, Bangladesh had been named as one of the 10 Interesting Destinations 2009, where it was described as “a revelation that actually leaves cousin India looking a bit worse for wear.”

Lonely Planet also brings out travel guidebooks on individual countries every few years. The last edition on Bangladesh came out in 2008 (the next one is due in November 2011), and describes it as a “can-do country of open-hearted people, tigers, tea plantations and the world’s longest beach.”

It also pays tribute to the country’s resilience in the face of natural disasters, and the introduction to Bangladesh on the Lonely Planet website brands it as a “trend-setting, breathtaking and hardworking” country that others can learn from.

Best in Travel 2011 includes seventeen ‘Top 10’ lists, covering standard topics like the best cities, best experiences, as well as quirky ones like ‘Top 10 Countries that didn’t exist twenty years ago.’

Almost every country that receives a positive treatment across any of the Lonely Planet platforms experiences a subsequent boost in tourism, and “Best-Value Destinations” is one of the most popular lists in the travel annual, closely followed by backpackers, students and other budget-travellers.

Owned by BBC Worldwide, Lonely Planet is the largest travel guidebook and digital media publisher in the world.

-UNB, Thu 04/11/2010

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IFC Helps Bangladesh Textile Industry Adopt Improved Environmental Standards

Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2, 2010—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is working with Bangladesh’s textile industry to improve environmental standards and promote cleaner production methods in collaboration with the Dutch-based nongovernmental Solidaridad and five leading buyers.

This cleaner production initiative, new in the Bangladesh textile sector, is led by the SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility which is managed by IFC Advisory Services in South Asia, in partnership with the Norwegian Agency for Development and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. 

Under the initiative, IFC will mobilize regional and international consultants who will transfer knowledge and build capacity of local consulting firms and service providers.  Cleaner-production auditors will work with management teams at participating textile plants to assess existing practices, help implement methodologies for improving performance, and achieve effective waste-management and energy savings. These efforts are expected to increase the profitability of small and medium enterprises, allowing them to invest in effluent treatment plants and energy-efficient technologies. 

Textile manufacturing in Bangladesh has a huge environmental footprint, annually discharging as much as 56 million tons of waste water, 0.5 million tons of sludge, and consuming tremendous amounts of energy for steam and hot water. Leading European and American brands such as H&M, KappAhl, Lindex, Levis, and Mothercare, which procure their goods from Bangladesh, are optimistic about this initiative.

“This is a big step forward in promoting responsible environmental practices, and H&M is committed to working with other stakeholders to promote environment compliance standards in the industry to ensure its long-term sustainability,” said Basirun Nabi Khan, CSR Regional Manager, H&M Dhaka.

Ian Crosby, Manager of IFC Advisory Services in Bangladesh expressed his enthusiasm for the program in Bangladesh, “Sustainability of the textiles and apparels sector is vital for Bangladesh to ensure its continued economic growth. Successful completion of this project will allow Bangladesh textile sector to gain a competitive edge in the world market by showcasing its efforts towards a greener supply chain.”

As part of the initiative, baseline assessments will be taken at participating factories to help identify areas of potential cost savings against energy, chemical, and water usage.  The findings will be used to demonstrate better cost control and improved operational efficiency, helping ensure ongoing competitiveness of the textile sector as well as reduce its environmental footprint.

To learn more about IFC in South Asia, visit www.ifc.org/southasia.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group is the largest development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. We create opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives—by providing financing to help businesses employ more people and provide essential services, mobilizing capital from others, and delivering advisory and risk-management services to ensure sustainable development. In a time of global economic uncertainty, our new investments climbed to a record $18 billion in fiscal 2010. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

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