"You have to improve the compliance situation in order to sustain competitiveness in international textile markets across the world," Mirza Azizul Islam said at a meeting with the RMG owners at the commerce ministry.

The adviser directed the monitoring committee on compliance to prepare a report soon focusing on how conditions in factories can be improved in terms of maintaining labour rights.

He also urged the apparel entrepreneurs to implement the workers' minimum wages announced by the new Wage Board.

He also made some suggestion for improving the RMG working conditions, which include issuance of identity cards and age certificates for the workers besides ensuring maternity leave.

President of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) SM Fazlul Hoque, who was present at the meeting, claimed that 60 percent RMG units are labour complaint.

He demanded punishment to the outsiders who were involved in the labour unrest last year and took bribe from some of the competitive countries to artificially create the turmoil.

Hoque also sought uninterrupted port services for the next two years in the greater interest of the sector.

Anwar Hossain, joint secretary, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, urged the RMG entrepreneurs to form trade unions at all the garment units with a view to easing the labour unrest.

"I am sure that if such trade unions are formed, the possibility of labour unrest would come down to 50 percent," Anwar hoped.

Toon Vandamme, branch manager, The Cotton Group SA/NV, said the buyers are happy with the compliance situation as the government is trying to improve it gradually. But, he said, the government has a lot to do in this connection.