DHAKA : Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have held discussions to further strengthen their long-standing partnership. The discussions took place during a courtesy call on WRAP’s Head of Operations for Bangladesh and Pakistan Kamrun Nahar at the BGMEA office today with BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, according to a press release.
Various aspects of WRAP’s audit also came up during the discussions. BGMEA Director Nafis-ud-Daulah and WRAPP’s Manager of Administrative Operations Tanzina Afrin were also present at the meeting held at the BGMEA office in Uttara on July 7. At the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said that BGMEA and WRAP have been working together for a long time to promote ethical and sustainable production in the garment sector in Bangladesh and if this partnership is further strengthened, it will play a supportive role in the garment industry of Bangladesh. He requested WRAP to take the initiative to develop a unified code of conduct for the garment industry in Bangladesh in consultation with the garment brands. Kamrun Nahan, Head of Operations for Bangladesh and Pakistan, WBRAP, said that their efforts in this regard are ongoing. He requested the President to take a more active role in WRAP training courses for BGMEA members.
The meeting explored potential areas of cooperation, including the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between BGMEA and WRAP in 2022, and also discussed the timely implementation of audit criteria. In particular, they emphasized the need to keep 30% of factory building roofs open during the audit process (so that factories cannot install solar power on the roof), and exempting the industry from the obligation of shared factory buildings. The BGMEA President requested WRAP to share with BGMEA the overall picture of Bangladesh’s garment factories that emerges from the organization’s audit. He said this will help in formulating policies for the industry and further strengthen our garment industry’s position as a preferred hub for ethical production in the world.
