Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the foreign buyers not to ignore Bangladesh’s RMG products, but raise the prices so that the factory owners could pay their workers more.
She made the request when Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister of the Netherlands Lilianne Ploumen met her at her Sangsad Bhaban office in the evening.
“Leaving Bangladesh by the foreign buyers won’t be a good solution. It’ll affect the poor workers and increase their sufferings,” she said.
PM’s deputy press secretary M Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.
Azad said the Prime Minister requested the Netherlands Minister to consider raising the prices of the Bangladesh’s RMG products. “This will help the owners pay more to the workers that will enhance their living standard.”
In reply, Lilianne Ploumen informed the Prime Minister that her government would work with Bangladesh to improve the lifestyle of the garment workers.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh’s RMG sector has mainly been developed by the private sector, and there are still some limitations as the sector is flourishing.
“When Awami League came to power in 1996, the government tried to streamline the sector and made some changes over safety issue. This time the government increased the wages of the garment workers up to 82 percent,” she said.
In this connection, the premier mentioned that the government has taken steps to upgrade the country’s labour law. “We’re always pro-poor and pro-workers and we always think for the welfare of the common people,” she said.
Ambassador at-large M Ziauddin and Carel Richter were present on the occasion.