DHAKA – Brands sourcing from Bangladesh should pay more for clothing to ensure it is manufactured in a safe working environment rather than waiting for disasters to happen and then being required to pay compensation – that's the view of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Mohammad Shahidullah Azim, the BGMEA's vice-president, has told a leading international NGO that Rana Plaza served as a "wake up call and turning point", adding that, "we are ... asking for ethical buying from brands. They are asking for so many things, they should pay for it. Instead of paying compensation after a disaster, they should pay earlier to prevent such incidents." An apparel factory owner in Dhaka also told the NGO that brands, "don't want to factor in [labour rights and safety] compliance into costing."