A new study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) titled “New Dynamics in Bangladesh’s Apparels Enterprises: Perspectives on Restructuring, Upgradation and Compliance Assurance” was launched at an event held on 31 May (Tuesday) in the presence of key involved partners and stakeholders.
The CPD study will seek to capture the profound changes taking place at the enterprise level in the country’s export-oriented RMG sector through better compliance and their implications for cost and competitiveness. The study will come up with a set of recommendations towards future development of the apparels sector of the country as a compliant, highly competitive, gender-sensitive, productivity-driven and decent labour promoting industry. The study will build on CPD’s recent works carried out in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza tragedy. The Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), Government of Bangladesh (GoB) will chair the Study Advisory Group which will include representatives from labour organisations, trade bodies (BGMEA and BKMEA), experts, activists, International Labour Organization (ILO) and other stakeholder groups. The aforesaid study will be based on data and information generated through extensive enterprise-level survey, focus group discussions (FGDs) with workers and entrepreneurs and expert group meetings.
It is hoped that the study will help policymakers to design appropriate strategies for long-term development of the sector. The study will be implemented by the CPD over next two years in partnership with Embassy of Sweden, Bangladesh; The Netherlands Embassy, Bangladesh; Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Bangladesh; and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the implementing agency of German Development Cooperation.
Dignitaries attending the launching event on behalf of the partnering organisations were H E Mr Johan Frisell, Ambassador of Sweden in Bangladesh; Ms Martine van Hoogstraten, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Development Cooperation, Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bangladesh; Ms Franziska Korn, Resident Representative of the FES Bangladesh Office; and Dr Jochen Weikert, Programme Coordinator, Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industries (PSES) and Dr Monika Lueke, Programme Coordinator, Social and Labour Standards in Textile and Garment Sector in Asia from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the implementing agency of German Development Cooperation.
A number of distinguished representatives from policymakers, development partners including the International Labour Organization (ILO), entrepreneurs and other stakeholder groups attended the event including Mr Miah Abdullah Mamun, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow and Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Additional Research Director of the CPD were also present at the programme.
View more news reports on the event: The Daily Star | The Financial Express |