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The WRAP Up
Last week we certified 62 factories in 8 countries:
Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
Antigua & Barbuda
The Trade Minister of the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda says that a new partnership with China could lead to a rebirth of the island's garment industry. Minister Paul Greene says that the partnership currently in the works would help the country grow its exports to other nearby Caribbean nations and potentially into mainland Latin America. A 3 month sewing workshop is being considered as one of the inaugural events for the venture. (
Antigua Observer)
Bangladesh
Bangladesh's restoration of GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) trade benefits with the United States is solely dependent on the progress the country makes toward the GSP action plan laid out by the United States. That was the sentiment expressed by Marcia Bernicat, the U.S. ambassador to the country, during a social media chat session marking the first anniversary of her appointment to the post. Bernicat also noted that she has visited many production facilities across the country that have completed all of their safety remediations, but insists that much more work remains to be done before Bangladesh can re-qualify for GSP benefits. (
Dhaka Tribune)
The Accord on Fire and Building Safety says that 522 of its facilities have failed to achieve the desired level of progress in remediation. Accord officials say they have given the list of these factories to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in an effort to expedite the remediation process. Both groups say they will cooperate to ensure the required remediations are made in a timely manner.
Bangladesh's Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed says that the new Dutch ambassador to the country has lauded the progress the country has made since the Rana Plaza tragedy of 2013. During a press conference that followed a meeting with Ambassador Leoni Cuelenaere, Ahmed thanked the Dutch government for their financial assistance following the tragedy and promised a further desire to cooperate. (
Fibre2Fashion)
Members of the Garments Sramik Front staged a protest rally on February 11 calling on the government to increase the minimum wage to Tk. 15,000 per month (US$190). They say that the current level is far below the necessary amount to raise a family in the city of Dhaka and indicated that public and government officials had recently received increases in pay. (
New Age BD)
AKH Group has opened a new eco-friendly garment factory outside of Dhaka. The new facility will reportedly be able to greatly reduce its energy consumption and generate about a quarter of that needed energy from solar sources. It has already received a Gold certification from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and company leaders hope the new facility will be able to produce upwards of US$80 million in goods per year. (
The Daily Star)
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WRAP Blog
Latest Entry:
By: Avedis Seferian
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