Faruque Hassan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), met with Anisul Huq, MP, Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, at the secretariat in Dhaka on February 22.

The meeting was also attended by former BGMEA President Md. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Director Neela Hosna Ara, and Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Labour and ILO Affairs ANM Saifuddin.

Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary at the Law and Justice Division, was present at the meeting.

The discussions covered a range of topics, including workplace safety, environmental sustainability, and workers’ rights in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh.

During the meeting, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan highlighted the substantial progress achieved by Bangladesh’s RMG industry in recent years, with notable improvements in trade union activities, workplace safety, wages, skills development, and labor welfare.

He expressed thanks to the government for its proactive initiatives, especially the amendments to the Labour Law to enhance workers’ rights and well-being.

Faruque Hassan reaffirmed the alignment of the RMG industry with the government’s roadmap, developed in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), to further improve labor rights and welfare issues.

Their discussions also touched the issue of Bangladesh’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status. 

Faruque Hassan emphasized the importance of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) to diversify export markets beyond traditional ones, ensuring sustained economic growth in the post-LDC period.

He highlighted the potential of PTAs and FTAs to stimulate economic growth by increasing export. 

He urged the government to streamline business-related laws and regulations, including taxation, value-added tax (VAT), and other facets of cross-border trade, in order to facilitate a more business-friendly environment.