Home ›› 21 Oct 2021 ›› Back

BKMEA provides workers with 10m iron tablets

Staff Correspondent
21 Oct 2021 21:31:12 | Update: 21 Oct 2021 21:33:47
BKMEA provides workers with 10m iron tablets
Speakers at BKMEA's National round table discussion on workplace nutrition in the readymade garments sector in Bangladesh - Courtesy

To ensure the nutrition of the women working in apparel sector, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has provided 2.1 lakh workers with 10 million iron and folic acid tablets for free.

BKMEA vice president Fazlee Shamim Ehsan said this while speaking at “National round table discussion on workplace nutrition in the readymade garments sector in Bangladesh” on Wednesday.

The project is jointly implemented by BKMEA and Nutrition International.

“In Bangladesh, around 51 per cent of the citizens cannot meet their nutrition requirement. To survive with competition, there is no alternative to ensuring workers’ nutrition and health safety,” said State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam.

Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine said he came to Bangladesh with two missions —nutrition and health. “I feel successful for involving myself in the BKMEA’s nutrition project,” Benoit said.

By ensuring workers’ nutrition, Bangladesh will be able to achieve sustainable development goal. “For ensuring workplace environment, workers’ nutrition is important too,” said Tuomo Poutiainen, country director of International Labour Organisation (ILO) said.

To implement the project, BKMEA involved 26 master trainers, 654 women employee trainers and 645 nutrition trainers. They trained 2.22 lakh workers in 5,778 batches. Besides, 11,556 volunteers are working for workers’ health and nutrition, according to the association.

The three-year-long project started in 2019.

BKMEA executive vice president Mohammad Hatem said, “Most of the workers in the RMG sector are women. This project will help to increase workers’ efficiency, maintain good health and nutrition.”

×