Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine June Issue 2018 | Page 46

SUSTAINABLE BD THE LATEST NEWS HAVE YOUR SAY For the latest news on apparel and textile, make sure that you visit https://apparelresources.com/top-news/ Write to Apparel Resources, B-32, South Extension-1, New Delhi (110049), India or email: [email protected] Bangladesh aims to create common compliance platform Bangladesh has held its first-ever compliance convention for the readymade garment factories in the country with an aim to create a common platform for setting up compliance standards. The daylong ‘National Compliance Carnival 2018’, organised by Institute of Compliance Professionals, was held at International Convention Centre, Bashundhara (ICCB), Dhaka, recently, with a target to bring together policymakers, business entities and compliance professionals to exchange experience. “Bangladesh has been following the compliance standards for retailers and brands since the occurrence of some major industrial disasters. But until now, there is no common platform for compliance. We aim to do just that,” said Shaila Ashraf, President of Institute of Compliance Professionals, at the programme. At the event, Michael Schultheiss, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Economics Section at German Embassy in Dhaka stated that there has been a remarkable progress in the compliance issue at the garments units. But, there is still room for improvement. Business ethics and compliance are the key factors if Bangladesh wants to have a sustainable business chain in the European Union. Among others who spoke in the programme were Annie Vestjens, First Secretary SRHR and Gender, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Md Hatem, First Vice President of Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB). They emphasised that Bangladesh’s apparel manufacturers are highly committed towards the compliance issue. The industry has come a long way since Rana Plaza disaster. Markedly, Atiqul Islam, former President of BGMEA, appealed: “Labour leaders should stay away from propaganda and catering false information to the outside world.” Bangladesh needs policy-level talks to protect women at RMG units, say Right activists Alleging that Bangladesh’s garments factories still lack in addressing major issues towards providing safety to women, who constitute to nearly 78 per cent of the country’s total 3.6 million readymade garments’ workforce, a group of rights activists have advocated for policy-level attention on the issue. Speaking at a discussion titled ‘Unsafe Labour Conditions: Dialogue With Women Rights Organisations’, organised by Karmojibi Nari Working Women Organisation at Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka recently, they said women in Bangladesh’s factories have to battle unsafe working conditions and gender discrimination every day. Umme Salma, Vice President of Karmojibi Nari, said, “A safe workplace for the women workers will impact the readymade garments’ industry and productivity of the women workers positively.” This will in turn help the sector’s overall productivity. Markedly, Karmojibi Nari is a pressure group that fights for rights and dignity of women in Bangladesh. The activists have stressed that it is imperative now that the lawmakers take the issue seriously and table it in the parliament; and discuss on implementing the UN’s recommendation of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women 46 Apparel Online Bangladesh | JUNE 2018 | www.apparelresources.com (CEDAW) in the country’s RMG sector. “Bangladesh’s women are taking the country forward. The women workers of our factories face wage discrimination. They face harassment every day on their way to work,” said Khushi Kabir, Coordinator of Non-Government organisation Nijera Kori, at the programme. Speakers alleged that Bangladesh’s women workers face discrimination in wages, sexual harassment at work and in society, are subjected to negligence in regard to sexual health, reproductive health and for securing the approval of maternity leave at workplace. Responding to this, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament and also the Chief Guest at the programme, said that the Government has a strong stand against the barriers to women empowerment and development. She acknowledged that it is high time the matter is discussed at the parliament. Among others who spoke at the programme were Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS), Nasimun Ara Huq Minu, President of Women Journalists’ Centre, Rokeya Rafique, Executive Director, Karmojibi Nari and Sanjida Sultana, Director, Karmojibi Nari.