A meeting was held between a WaterAid delegation and BGMEA President Faruque Hassan in Dhaka on March 15 to discuss sustainable water management in the RMG industry of Bangladesh.

The delegation included Ruairidh McCarthy, Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager, Hannah Kennedy, Strategic Parterships, WaterAid, Azman Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Business Development and Fund Raising, WaterAid Bangladesh, and Solveig Berntsen, Strategic Partnerships Manager, WaterAid Sweden.

Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh H. E. Winnie Estrup Petersen hosted the meeting at her residence, which was also attended by Anders Karlsen, Deputy Head of Mission, and Ali Asraf Khan, Suppply chain specialist at the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh.

They discussed potential collaboration between WaterAid and BGMEA to promote sustainable water management practices and sanitation and hygiene in garment factories and surrounding communities. 

They expressed interest in working together to raise awareness among workers about clean water, sanitation and hygiene to improve health, safeguard against infectious diseases. 

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said workers' health and welfare was a priority area of the RMG industry. 

“BGMEA runs 10 health centers and a hospital to provide free medical treatment and medicines to workers while garment factories at their own initiative provide medical support to their workers.”

Stressing on the need for clean water and sanitation, he said it would immensely benefit the workers of garment factories, their families and communities if they could be made aware of how to maintain hygiene and keep themselves safe from diseases.