Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the government seeks to set up a planned garment village to provide better and secured work place for the RMG workers.
She said this when President of the International Trade Union Confederation and Chairman of the German Confederation of Trade Unions Michael Sommer called on her at her Parliament office.
PM’s special assistance Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, who was present during the call on, briefed the reporters about the meeting.
The Prime Minister told Sommer that in all countries across the globe the first initiative started in unplanned way, but later it took concrete shape through some planned measurers.
“Many problems are then solved in planned manner,” she said.
Talking about the garment sector of the country she said that to uplift the fate of the RMG workers the government is making sincere efforts.
She said that if the buyers increase price for the RMG items then it would be helpful for the government to put pressure on the garment owners to enhance the salaries and wages of the workers.
Sommer highly appreciated the government’s initiative after the Rana Plaza collapse saying that these efforts were acclaimed across the world.
He also praised the recent move of the government to amend the labour law and the move to appoint factory inspectors. “These are the positive move of the Bangladesh government for the welfare of the workers,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the government is very much serious about the matter and those responsible for the disaster are now in jail to face the trial.
She also said that the government from the PM’s Relief Fund gave financial assistance to the victims and their family members.
“They are the citizens of this country, we are taking care of the injured workers,” she said.
She mentioned that the politics of her party is for the welfare of the people of the country including the workers.
Hasia said that in the last five years her government increased the minimum wages of the RMG workers from Tk 1600 to Tk 5300 in two phases.
She also said that the government has taken steps to build dormitories for the female workers of the RMG sector.
She said that if the workers and owners of a factory have a good relation it eventually helps the owners as the workers give better production.
Sommer said that secret behind the strong economy of Germany during the world wide economic recession was the cooperation between the government and the trade unions.
He conveyed the greetings of the German Chancellor to the Prime Minister and said that the German Chancellor remembers the fruitful tour of Bangladesh Prime Minister in 2011.
“Both you and the German Chancellor are women. We are expecting more strong ties between the two countries,” he said.
He said the German Chancellor said that a stable political situation was needed in Bangladesh. “People of the country participated in the stable political atmosphere in the country,” he quoted the German Chancellor as saying.
Sheikh Hasina also appreciated the German Chancellor and requested Michael Sommer to convey her greetings to her.
German Ambassador Dr Albretcht Conze and ambassador at large M Ziauddin were among others present during the call on.
Source: UNB Connect
