Apparel Online India Magazine August 2nd Issue 2018 | Page 50

BEYOND INDIA HAVE YOUR SAY BREAKING NEWS Tell us your news by emailing at [email protected] To read the latest sustainability news, go to https://apparelresources.com/business-news/sustainability/  Bangladesh inks deal with ILO to implement ‘Decent Work Country Programme' The Bangladesh Government has signed a deal with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to implement Decent Work Country Programme in Bangladesh. This deal is expected to give a further facelift to the country’s readymade garment sector as it aims to tackle challenges pertaining to low productivity, slow improvement in Occupational Safety and Health situation and working conditions, inadequate opportunity for social dialogue, amongst others. The programme attended by Government officials, employers, and worker organisations witnessed signing of the agreement by Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment Afroza Khan; Chairperson of National Coordination Committee for Workers Education Amirul Haque Amin; President of Bangladesh Employers Federation Kamran T Rahman; and Country “With the support of the ILO, we have succeeded in attaining the envisaged goals” – Afroza Khan, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment Director of ILO Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen. “Bangladesh is fully supportive of the ILO’s Decent Work agenda and has implemented two Decent Work Country Programmes so far, covering the periods 2006-2009, and 2012-2015. With the support of ILO, we have succeeded in attaining the envisaged goals and activities of the previous DWCPs and I believe that this trend will continue in the future,” reportedly stated Afroza Khan. At the event, Director of ILO’s Decent Work Team for South Asia, Dagmar Walter, reportedly observed, “We are proud to work alongside the Government, employers, and workers in Bangladesh to promote decent and productive employment opportunities for its women and men… Certain challenges and gaps need to be addressed to keep up with the ever-changing world of work. We hope that this ‘Decent Work Country Programme’ will make a major contribution to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.” CPD proposes grade-wise wage structure for Bangladesh RMG sector Underlining that the cost of living of the workers has increased by 17 per cent on yearly basis during the 2013-18 period, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) – an institution for in-depth research and dialogue to promote inclusive policy making in Bangladesh, and strengthen regional and global economic integration – has reportedly proposed a grade-wise wage structure for the apparel workers. Presenting his report titled ‘Addressing the Livelihood Challenges of RMG Workers: Exploring Scope within the Structure of Minimum Wages and Beyond’ at a dialogue programme on ‘Minimum Wages and Livelihood Conditions of RMG Workers’ in capital city Dhaka recently, CPD Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzem reportedly proposed that the minimum wage for newly- introduced grade VI be fixed at Taka 11,004 and Taka 9,228 for the workers without children, keeping in mind the falling profit margins as well as possible future business risks. Moazzem reportedly maintained that the wage for grade V could be Taka 10,715, Taka 11,786 for grade IV, Taka 13,319 for grade III, and Taka 15,317 for grade II, while adding that all allowances would be proportionately increased with the promotion of the workers besides proposing child care and education allowance, service benefit with 3 per cent of the 50 Apparel Online India | AUGUST 16-31, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com basic centrally deposited under ‘Provident Fund’, transport and communication allowance, etc. Speaking at the event, Moazzem reportedly called upon the Government and the private sector to jointly work for the development of the workers while adding that wage structure needs major revisions considering the hike in the living costs. As per his study, the living cost of the workers in 2013 was Taka 10,353 while in 2018, it increased to Taka 19,267.