Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety, a platform of US retailers, has appointed 12 Bangladeshi and international experts to its Board of Advisors.
The newly appointed advisors, five from Bangladesh, will work to improve safety standards in the Bangladesh apparel sector, said an Alliance statement released on Friday.
“We are honoured to welcome these esteemed global leaders to our Board of Advisors,” said Ellen Tauscher, a US Congresswoman and Independent Chair of the Alliance.
“The combination of their individual perspectives and breadth of expertise across government, women’s issues, labour and global development will help us implement our comprehensive commitment to a safer ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh,” she added.
The Board include Avedis Seferian, president and CEO of WRAP, Dan Glickman, senior fellow of Bipartisan Policy Center, Heather Cruden, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, Melanne Verveer, executive director of Institute for Women, Peace and Security of Georgetown University, Mohammad Hatem, vice president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Mujibur Rahman, professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Nancy Nord, former commissioner of US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Rick Darling, executive director of Government and Public Affairs of Li & Fung (Trading) Ltd, Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, Sukkur Mahmud, president of Executive Committee of Jatiya Smramik League and Wajedul Islam Khan, general secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra.
The Board of Advisors will help guide the Alliance as it tracks implementation and progress against its aggressive goals, which include inspecting all garment factories used by Alliance signatories by July 2014, implementing a comprehensive workers training programme and helpline, and providing remedial support for factories to address safety issues.
“We recognise the significance of Bangladesh’s garment industry to the country’s economic growth, and the jobs it provides to its people,” said advisory board member Dan Glickman.
“While the challenges in Bangladesh are many, the Alliance is making significant progress towards strengthening the working conditions in the ready-made garment industry and the well-being of its workers,” Glickman said.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
