BGMEA President Faruque Hassan on Tuesday underscored the need for comprehensive efforts and mass awareness to improve nutritional status of garment workers who are the driving force behind the RMG industry in Bangladesh.
“Inadequate nutrition, particularly among women, is one of the main reasons for worker inefficiency. Workers will be able to maintain good health and the energy to be as productive as the job required if nutritious and safe foods are ensured for them,” he said.
Faruque Hassan made the observations while speaking at a program organized by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Auchan Foundation in Dhaka.
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Besides, not always the RMG workers have proper knowledge of which foods are good in terms of nutritional value, so awareness should be raised among them about nutritious foods and their benefits, he added.
“In addition to law mandatory CSR activities, many RMG factories in Bangladesh are taking praiseworthy initiatives for workers to ensure their well-being,” Faruque said in his speech.
One of such initiatives is fair price shop where daily commodities are sold at affordable prices, he said, adding that if workers could be made aware and encouraged to buy foods having nutritional value would be health beneficial for them.
Apart from initiatives of individual factories, a comprehensive approach needs to be taken by all the stakeholders of the garment sector for ensuring the proper nutrition of garment workers at affordable prices, Faruque remarked.
Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi, Secretary, Ministry of Labor and Employee; Khaled Mamun Chowdhury, ndc, Director General, Department of Labour; Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, BKMEA; Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President (Finance), BGMEA; Ms. Juliette Bataille, Project Manager, Auchan Foundation; Alain Reners, General Delegate, Auchan Foundation; and Dr. Rudaba Khondorker, Country Director, GAIN also spoke at the event.