Berlin, 25 April 2023 (TDI): A meaningful event titled “Decent Work for All: Reflecting on Asia’s Textile Industry 10 Years after Rana Plaza” was recently held. The event provided a platform for stakeholders to come together and discuss the current state of workplace safety measures in the international market, with a specific focus on Bangladesh and Pakistan.
It was organized in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Europe’s relevant stakeholders.
The purpose of this event was to commemorate the tragic incident of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, where an unsafe building collapsed and caused the loss of 1138 lives in a factory located within it.
The main objective was to share thoughts and ideas on how to move forward towards ensuring safe and decent work for all.
During the initial round of talks, the experts delved into the progress made in textile industries of Bangladesh and Pakistan, particularly in terms of occupational safety and overall welfare.
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Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Faisal emphasized the importance of extending the accord’s scope to cover formal and informal labor markets operating in developing nations.
He shed light on the Pakistani government’s initiatives to ensure workplace safety, not only in the textile sector but in packaging, services, and other industries as well, through social security measures and fair wage structures.
Dr. Faisal highlighted the National Compliance Centre (NCC), launched by the Minister of Commerce, which focuses on an inclusive approach to tackle present challenges. He also stressed the need for developing strong public-private partnerships to achieve a more comprehensive and coordinated approach.
The Ambassador of Bangladesh to Germany, Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, along with civil society activists from Bangladesh, also shared their views at the event. The panel discussion concluded with a question and answer session.
In her closing statements, Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary at BMZ, thanked the participants and reiterated Germany’s commitment to supporting efforts towards safer and better working environments for developing countries.
She also stressed the need for big brands worldwide to adopt a more supportive approach towards the same.
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