Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector has stepped into making factories eco-friendly as demand for green products has been on the rise from the global buyers.
Three manufacturers - ABA Group, Viyellatex and Envoy Textile – have so far introduced green factories reducing harmful emissions, improving energy efficiency, recycling byproducts and bettering waste management.
Some are also on the way to bring the green efforts to their factories, according to the respective factory officials. The sector insiders said the initiative will enhance competitiveness of the Bangladeshi products in the global market.
The renowned brands place high importance on the factory environment and working condition, they said. The Western consumers would also prefer buying products manufactured in factories sensitive to the environment.
“The vision of going green is to develop the RMG sector with a certain target to achieve an internationally-recognised standard that would not only help improve the overall environmental and working conditions in RMG factories, but also help brand Bangladesh across the globe,’’ said Syed Akbar Ali, a director of ABA Group, which has already established a green factory in 2012.
Among others, water and energy savings through the increased uses of solar power and the daylight are the main features of eco-friendly factories.
“Our factory has already established all these facilities by setting up a 123kw solar panel and using daylight instead of electric lights during day-time,” said Syed Akbar Ali.
“As sustainable practices and eco-friendly operations are emerging as a global standard in the developed countries, we are now compelled to set up the green factories to cope up with the world standards, ushering in a new era,” Shahidullah Azim, managing director of Classic Fashion Concept, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Classic is currently setting up a platinum green factory, creating jobs for around 4,000 workers at Ragendrapur in Gazipur.
Global retailers in their advertisements now claim that their products are collected from the green factories with improved hygienic conditions, said Shahidullah Azim.
Echoing with Azim, former Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury said: “It has now become a necessity for us to make our factories eco-friendly as the buyers want us to pay us more only if we can meet their demand of producing the products in an environmentally sound atmosphere.”
To be certified as “green,” a factory must be purely compliant, and all the elements used in the factory have to be tested by the US-based Green Building Concept (GBC).
“Our factory is platinum one as it has been constructed following US GBC standards. There are three types of green factory on the basis of the standards,” said Akbar of ABA group.
“Though setting up a green factory definitely costs more than regular one, it saves money in the long run as it help reduces the cost of utility services such as power and water,” said Shahidullah Azim.
It also helps a factory owner to enhanced reputation as a socially responsible businessman committed to protecting the environment and people as a whole, he said.
If the government provides lands and utility services through economic zones, it would help increase the number of green factories across the country, said Abdus Slam Murshedy, managing director of Envoy Textile, certified as green. The Envoy Group has also started another green project for the garment sector.
Shahidullah Azim: “If the government allows us the duty-free import of equipments for setting up export-oriented green factories, investors would be encouraged to establish more eco-friendly factories.”
“We are planning to set up our Bausia Industrial Park as an eco-friendly industrial zone to be built in Munshiganj,” he added.
