As the chief guest, Whip of the national parliament Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon launched the programme at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital.

BKMEA vice president Fazlee Shamim Ehsan presided over the function while High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine, additional secretary of Health and Family Welfare ministry Habibur Rahman Khan, Director General of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) Dr. Shah Nawaz, ILO Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen were present  there.

Abu Sayeed said that Bangladesh’s development is a miracle to many other countries in the world now. The country’s garment industry is contributing significantly to economic growth.

“There are more than three million women among four million people in the garment industry. The government is a woman-friendly government and working for improving women’s health and wellbeing in the country. It’s also a commitment of our SDG goal-3,” he also said.

Fazlee Shamim Ehsan said that it is highly important to have a healthy and productive working force which may increase the number of production to sustain as a middle income country as well as to maintain the overall socio economic development.

“BKMEA is working with NI solely for the betterment of women health. This project has been designed specially to improve worker’s health, nutrition, and well-being and improved iron stores leading to the prevention and control of anemia in women workers of reproductive age,” he also said.

NI vice president Brian Harrigan said that they have made putting an end to malnutrition through NoWW. “We will continue this work with a special focus on working women,” he added.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to prepare 20 master trainers who will train other trainers to supply iron and folic acid tablets among the female workers in knit factories.

This initiative will demonstrate a delivery mechanism of weekly Iron and Folic Acid (WIFA) supplementation and provide nutrition education session for male and female workers.