The commerce minister of Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed, has urged Australian buyers to visit readymade garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh, BSS news agency reported.
Speaking at a joint forum in Melbourne, Australia, Ahmed said the Government of Bangladesh has taken all kinds of necessary measures to ensure work-friendly atmosphere at the RMG factories after the unexpected Rana Plaza tragedy.
The Rana Plaza tragedy occurred in April 2013, where an eight-story building, housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Bangladesh’s capital, killing more than 1,100 people, mostly garment workers.
The environment of RMG factories including issues such as building safety, fire safety, wages hike, and health safety of the labourers are being addressed, he added.
Ahmed hoped that the Government of Australia and Australian businessmen would realize the value of the RMG sector in Bangladesh.
The joint forum was organized by the School of Management of RMIT University, Centre for Sustainable Organization and Works, European Union Centre, Bangladesh High Commission in Canberra, and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Two workshops were held in the opening session at the forum, where the facilities of investment in RMG industry, necessary cooperation, labour law, work environment, fire safety, labourer health, and work efficiency were discussed elaborately.
Bangladeshi high commissioner Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, BGMEA president Atiqul Islam, RMIT university school of management pro-vice chancellor Geof Stocks, and K-Mart CEO Yan Belly also spoke on the occasion. Buyers, users of Bangladeshi products, politicians, business leaders, and NGO representatives attended the forum.
RMG is a strategic sector for the Bangladeshi economy, with an estimated 3,500 export factories in operation, providing employment for over 4.2 million workers. (GK)
