Advocacy efforts in Bangladesh have been part of the national dialogue centring wages for several decades.
International buyers can rest assured they can place orders here with confidence.
If it’s left to garment suppliers, the green transition will take decades.
While carbon offsetting has gained momentum and support, it is not without its share of critics.
Climate change is worsening the situation and the financial and humanitarian costs brought by this calamity are racking up.
Carbon capture and storage involves capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes or power plants and storing them underground.
There is no doubt that automation can be both a threat and an opportunity for our garment industry and its workers, depending on how it is implemented and managed.
Governments have the power to promote and support textile recycling initiatives in several ways.
We are not geared for such runs in the same way that some manufacturers in Europe are.
Will we see an industry which has fewer and larger players?
Better wages cannot be introduced by any one actor alone.
What happens when you have done all that you can, but your emissions continue to go in the wrong direction?
Without fashion retailers and their suppliers working together, our industry as a whole will continue to see emissions rising.
It is time to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels altogether.
How can we reduce CO2 emissions associated with our industry?
I am not ruling out the possibility of Bangladesh being granted a place in the GSP+. I would rather argue that we need to also prepare for a time when we can stand on our own two feet as far as international trade is concerned. To do this, I believe we now need to make faster moves on bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and also preferential trading agreements (PTAs) with some of our existing trading partners, where we can negotiate mutually gainful benefits and opportunities. It is a new game that our government and businesses must start preparing for.
In theory, this sounds like a good idea, but it is not so straightforward.
There is anecdotal evidence that investment is taking place to upgrade operations to meet the demands of international customers.