A roundtable table discussion on “Target US$ 50 billion: We need your support to reach it” was held at the Daily Star conference room on 30 January.
BGMEA and the Daily Star jointly organized the event to generate useful discussion on how to achieve the target of US$50 billion in RMG exports with the shortest possible time.
BGMEA President Md. Siddiqur Rahman made the welcome remarks while Professor Sharf As-Saber of RMIT University, Australia presented the keynote paper at the roundtable.
Editor of the Daily Star Mahfuz Anam moderated the discussion where different stakeholders, including government representatives, development partners, workers’ representatives, sector researchers, academics and BGMEA leaders expressed their opinions and recommendations on ways to achieve the $50 billion target sustainably.
Ambassador & the Head of EU Delegation to Bangladesh H. E. Pierre Mayaudon, US Ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicatand ILO Country Directory Srinivas B. Reddy addressed the roundtable.
NBR Chairman Md. Nojibur Rahman, Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar,former BGMEA Presidents Anisur Rahman Sinha and Abdus Salam Murshedy, BGMEA Senior Vice President Faruque Hassan, Vice President (Finance) Mohammed Nasir, Vice President Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu), and former BTMA President A. Matin Chowdhury took part in the discussion.
World Bank Lead Economist Zahid Hussain, Program Manager of PaCT, IFC Mohandas Seneviratne, Editor of the Daily Bhorer Kagoj Shyamal Dutta, Program Coordinator of PSES, GIZ Dr. Jochen Weikert, Executive Director of PRI Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, Additional Research Director of CPD Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Professor Sadeka Halim, Professor Mahmuda Khatun, Member of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Md. Zafar Alam, CPA Terminal Manager Enamul Karim, President of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League Sirajul Islam Rony, President of Sammilita Garment Sramik Federation Nazma Akhter, and FTA Representative Bangladesh Daniel Seidel, among others, were present at the roundtable discussion.
A special supplement on the discussion will be published in the Daily Star next week.