President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faruque Hassan on Tuesday stressed the importance of enhancing workers' productivity and resource efficiency to promote sustainable growth in Bangladesh's apparel industry.
Faruque was speaking at a workshop titled "Sustainable Business Growth of the Apparel Sector of Bangladesh: Improving Workers Productivity and Resource Efficiency," which was organised by the Solidaridad Network Asia in collaboration with BGMEA in Dhaka.
While speaking at the event, he said, “The industry needs to balance short-term goals with long-term priorities through innovation, technological advancements, and knowledge-based transitions.”
BGMEA chief mentioned that substantial progress has been made in improving the well-being of workers, society, and the environment over the past decades.
However, he pointed out that there is still room for improvement in terms of efficiency and competitiveness.
Faruque also added that the challenges the industry faces as the cost of manufacturing continues to rise each year.
"In recent years, the costs of fuel, electricity, and gas have significantly increased, leading to higher transport and utility costs, as well as increased manufacturing expenses," said Faruque Hassan.
"Ensuring workers' well-being also means enhancing their efficiency through skills training and opportunities, ultimately enabling them to earn a better living."
BGMEA boss also highlighted that the increase in RMG productivity benefits both factories and workers and has a direct impact on the country's GDP growth.
The workshop was also addressed by Tapan Kanti Ghosh, secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Thijs Woudstra, deputy head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands; and Selim Reza Hasan, country manager of Solidaridad Network Asia.
A presentation on the reclaiming sustainability program was shared by Isaac Gyamfi, chair of the Partnership Steering Committee, Reclaiming Sustainability.
The workshop featured two panel discussions with industry leaders, experts, and academia.
The first panel discussed reskilling and upskilling workers for productivity enhancement, while the second panel explored the need for and the way forward in achieving resource efficiency.
