The visiting Deputy Director General of International Labor Organisation (ILO), Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, on Friday said that though Bangladesh has remarkably achieved a significant economic growth over the years, the working standard, safety and rights of the workers in the country were not confirmed. Houngbo said that he was impressed with the positive trend that Bangladesh has achieved Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) where exports have played a vital role.
‘So, we have to consider Savar tragedy as a new beginning. You have to use it as a positive catalyst,’ Houngbo said at a discussion at the conference hall of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) in the city.
Houngbo said that he was expecting a way forward after Savar tragedy and a roadmap will be there by Saturday to address safety issues in Bangladeshi factories. Discussions would continue with concerned authorities and workers and their organisations about the issues, he added.
A high-profile ILO delegation led by Houngbo arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday on a four-day visit with a plan to assist improving the working conditions at the factories in Bangladesh.
Other members of delegation are Andre Bogui, a senior staff at the Director-General’s Office, Coen Kompier, a specialist on Labour Standards, and Amin Al-Wreidat, a specialist on Occupational Safety and Health of ILO.
Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) arranged the discussion meeting with the ILO delegation. Fazlul Hoque, the BEF president, presided over the meeting.
President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) M Atiqul Islam, second vice-president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) AH Aslam Sunny, BEF and MCCI Secretary General Farooq Ahmed and other business leaders were present.
The ILO executive mentioned that there were three dimensions that the ILO and the authorities concerned needed to look into.
The first dimension is workers’ rights; secondly, overall safety issues and finally, working conditions, managing crisis to make sure the new law takes serious look into workers’ rights in Bangladesh, he said.
Seeking ILO support for rehabilitating the workers with disabilities due to the Savar accident, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam said they wanted to work together to avoid repetition of any further accident like Savar tragedy in the country.
He said that the BGMEA has taken an initiative to investigate on the structural design of each factory by the end of this month. Then it would take action to close down the risky factories.
Atiqul Islam said that they would investigate the factories with their own engineers with support from ILO.
-With New Age input
