The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has called upon global buyers to collaborate with their suppliers and pay ethical prices to enable and encourage the factories to take more initiatives for the welfare of garment workers.
"Nobody can justify lower prices for producing socially fair goods," BGMEA President Faruque Hassan, said.
He was speaking at a stakeholder engagement session of the "RESPECT" programme organised by Tesco, a UK-based retail company, said a media statement Wednesday.
The representatives of the factories which participated in the RESPECT programme were also present, it added.
The RESPECT programme aims to create a culture of respect and fair treatment among staff in garment factories.
Global buyers feel more confident and interested in sourcing garments with a "Made in Bangladesh" tag because they know their products are manufactured in factories which are safe and environmentally sustainable where workers are empowered and have a convenient working atmosphere, Faruque said.
"Massive safety initiatives along with extensive awareness-raising training programmes have led to a remarkable transformation in Bangladesh's RMG sector. The workers are more empowered and aware of their rights and welfare than ever," he added.
Victoria Wellings, group quality director of Tesco, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Munir Uddin Shamim, programme manager at Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Bangladesh, also spoke at the event.