The International Labour Organization (ILO) Tokyo office has expressed Japan's interest in further supporting and collaborating for human rights due diligence – a process for identifying, preventing, mitigating, and accounting for human rights impacts – in Bangladesh.

A key component of human rights due diligence is meaningful engagement with stakeholders, particularly rights-holders such as employees, community members, human rights defenders, supply chain workers, and consumers.

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A delegation comprising high officials from the ILO Tokyo office paid a courtesy call on BGMEA President Faruque Hassan in the capital Monday.

The delegation, led by ILO Tokyo Office Programme Coordinator Yuki Kobayashi included Training and Research Officer Arisa Haboshi and Research Manager Kyohei Yabu.

Syed Niaz, team leader of Better Work Bangladesh, was also present.

BGMEA vice-presidents Md Nasir Uddin, and Miran Ali; directors Barrister Shehrin Salam Oishee, Abdullah Hil Rakib, Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan and Inamul Haq Khan also attended the meeting.

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They discussed the possible scope of collaboration to carry forward the achievements made by Bangladesh's readymade garments industry particularly in the area of workplace safety, occupational safety and health, workers' rights and their well-being.

Faruque gave an overview of how safety initiatives alongside extensive training of workers jointly taken by the government, brands, and the ILO have transformed Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) sector into "one of the safest industries in the world."

He also highlighted the initiatives and programmes, including the ILO's Better Work Program in the RMG sector to promote decent working conditions in the garment factories in Bangladesh.