About 43 per cent of Bangladeshi female workers in the ready garments (RMG) sector are victims of malnutrition, but nutrition interventions can improve their wellbeing and productivity, speakers said at a seminar Sunday.
Malnutrition can cut the productivity and working capacity of workers by up to 20 per cent if it is not addressed, they said at the seminar "Workforce Nutrition: Learning Dissemination Seminar" at a city hotel.
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) organised the event with the support of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Switzerland-based international organisation.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian attended it as the chief guest and KM Abdus Salam, secretary to the Parliament Secretariat, as special guest.
Monnujan said the government has given priority to public health and nutrition issues for building Bangladesh as a developed country.
The minister called upon those, involved in the production, processing, supply and sale of foods, to consider the issue of safe and nutritious food.
Dr Syed Abul Hamid, professor of health economics at the University of Dhaka, said lunch meals, provided for apparel workers under GAIN's "Swapno" project, improved nutritional conditions as well as the working capacity of the workers.
Citing the project's results, he said: "Pusti Bandhu" played an important role in disseminating knowledge on nutrition among workers.
The seminar called for forming a "workforce alliance" comprising public and private organisations from different sectors for improving the health conditions of workers.
M Nasir Uddin Ahmed, inspector general of the DIFE, gave the welcome address. M Ehsan E-Elahi, secretary at the labour and employment ministry, presided over the programme.
Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN Bangladesh, presented the keynote paper on workforce nutrition.
Dr SM Mustafizur Rahman, line director of the National Nutrition Services, Dutch Ambassador Anne Van Leeuwen, Goutam Kumar, director-general of the labour department, Kazi Zebunnesa Begum, additional secretary to the Health Services Division, Dr Rudaba Khondker, country director of GAIN-Bangladesh, also spoke.