BGMEA president meets law minister

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan met Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq.

A discussion was held at the secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday, according to a press release.

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

Law and Justice Division Secretary Md Golam Sarwar, were 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 labour 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 Organisation (ILO), to further improve labour rights and welfare issues.

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

Faruque Hassan emphasised 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.