Fourth Policy Working Group Meeting on “The RMG sector in Bangladesh: Supplying Globally, Promoting Decent Work Locally”

“As a promising RMG export country, Bangladesh is under scrutiny by many international CSR stakeholders regarding compliance issue. Therefore, CSR remains as a crucial issue for Bangladeshi RMG exporters to have increased market access”- said Mr. Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment in an ETE Policy Working Group Meeting. The ETE (Assessing and Addressing the Effects of Trade on Employment) is an ILO technical cooperation project financed by the European Union. 

The meeting was held on 13 March 2013 at the Hotel Ruposhi Bangla. The theme of the meeting was “The RMG sector in Bangladesh: Supplying Globally, Promoting Decent Work Locally”. The meeting was Co-chaired by Mr. Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment and Mr. Amitava Chakraborty, Additional Secretary and Director General, WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce. Mr. Gagan Rajbhandari, Officer- in- Charge, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh has delivered the welcome remarks in the meeting.

The meeting gathered representatives from Ministry of Commerce, MinistrCase Study Presentery of Labour and Employment, General Economics Division, Bangladesh Bank, Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Knit Manufacturers’ Exporters’ Association (BKMEA), National Coordination Committee for Workers’ Education (NCCWE), European Union Delegation in Bangladesh, GIZ, Trade Policy Support Programme (TPSP), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Reed Consulting, Bangladesh Institute of Strategic Studies and Ministry of Industries to discuss on different aspects of CSR and its practices in the RMG sector of the country. Ms. Shahamin S. Zaman, Chief Executive Officer, CSR Centre presented a key note paper in the meeting on ”Corporate Social Responsibility and the RMG sector in Bangladesh” which was followed by a presentation of sharing good practices of CSR by Mr Fateh-ul- Islam, Chief Operating Officer,Viyellatex Group. Mr. Mostan Hossain, Deputy Secretary, Minsitry of Labour and Employment and Memeber Secretary of the PWG facilitated the discussion.

Emphasizing on the fact that CSR cannot be substitute of legal regulations, Mr Gagan Rajbhandari said that the ILO's position regarding CSR is completely in line with corporate interest and recommends that governments should encourage the voluntary concept of CSR. He said that lack of enforcement of industrial and labour Laws and regulations, absence of freedom of association and collective bargaining, poor occupational safety and health facilities, poor fire safety and prevention are some key challenges of the RMG sector in Bangladesh which needed to be addressed to improve CSR situation. .

Mr. Amitava Chakrabarty, Additional Secretary and Director General WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce in his remarks said that CSR has a role to play in the development discourse of Bangladesh, particularly while the country is striving to transform from least developed country to a mid- income country by 2021. Mr Chakrabarty also said that CSR is not a new concept in Bangladesh; in fact it is embedded in our culture. He mentioned some immediate initiatives of the government in addressing the recent fire incidents in RMG sector which include a crash training programme for a total of thirty two thousand of people, established hot line for any emergency, banning of exit doors locking, formation of mobile court etc. 

Participants discussed the critical challenges as well as opportunities for practicing CSR in the RMG sector and emphasized on developing CSR policy framework and strategy, network to share good practices carried out by other companies and compliance with the international labour standards and national legal instruments.