DHAKA : The Bangladesh garment manufacturers and exporters association (BGMEA) has been organizing series of exchange meetings with labor federations on maintaining good law and order and stable labor conditions in the garment sector. In this context, another exchange meeting of BGMEA leaders with labor federation representatives was held at the BGMEA office in Uttara on July 10, according to a press release.
BGMEA vice President Md. Rezwan selim, director Asef kamal Pasha and director sheikh hossain mohammad mostafiz were present at the exchange meeting chaired by BGMEA President mahmud hasan Khan.
In the exchange meeting, cooperation of labor federations was sought in maintaining good law and order and a stable labor environment in the garment sector in the interest of smoothly running the overall activities of the garment industry. In particular, BGMEA has requested the leaders of the labor federations to cooperate so that workers do not vandalize the surrounding factories or block the roads in the name of demanding demands and trivial incidents in the factories, causing suffering to the common people.
The labor leaders present said that creating labor instability in the industry is not desirable for anyone. The leaders emphasized on resolving the problems of the factories within the factories through discussions. The labor leaders also welcomed the initiative of the current board of BGMEA to establish BGMEA regional grievance redressal cells in Gazipur, Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur and Narayanganj to resolve the legitimate demands of the labor brothers and sisters as soon as possible.
In the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan highlighted the initiative of the current board of BGMEA to establish a hospital for the workers in the above garment-dominated areas. He said that a letter has already been sent from BGMEA to the relevant government department seeking land allocation in this regard and as soon as the land is received, BGMEA will immediately start the construction of the hospital.
The BGMEA President also said that his board will soon start working on food rationing for the workers working in the garment industry to make their lives comfortable. When the BGMEA President requested the workers' federations to give specific proposals in this regard, the leaders of the federations responded positively.
The need to create a database of workers was also discussed in the view-sharing meeting. The BGMEA President said that creating a database is essential to work on workers' welfare issues such as the implementation of food ration cards. He sought the cooperation of all concerned in this regard.
In the meeting, both sides pledged to work together to ensure peaceful coexistence in the garment industry. The discussion was attended by Montu Ghosh, President, Garments Workers Trade Union Center; Taslima Akhter, Chairperson, Bangladesh Garments Workers Solidarity and Acting President, Bangladesh Trade Union Federation; Md. Faridul Islam, President, National Garments Workers Unity; Md. Mizanur Rahman Apu, Vice-President, Bangladesh Garments Workers Dal, Central Committee; Aurobindo Bepari Bindu, Central President, Revolutionary Garments Workers Federation (BGSF); Dr. Shamsul Alam, President, Garments Workers Trade Union Federation; Md. Ibrahim, President, Swadesh Garments Workers Federation; Md. Shahidul Islam Sikder (Babul), President, National Garments Workers Alliance; Md. Mizan Hawlader, Satta Garments Workers Federation, President, Central Committee; Md. Ruhul Amin Hawlader, General Secretary, Bangladesh Garments Industry Workers Federation (BGSSF); Md. Nazrul Islam, President, Satta Garments Workers Employees Federation; Faisal Ibne Kabir, General Secretary, Mehnati Garments and Textile Workers Federation; Sadequr Rahman Shamim, General Secretary, Garments Workers Trade Union Center; Shirin Akhter, President, Progressive Garments Workers Federation; Rabeya Sultana Rani, President, Bangladesh Sangrami Garments Workers Federation and Md. Harun Or Rashid, President, Garments Workers Andolan Bangladesh.
