Workshop Urges Stronger Social Protection for RMG Workers

Ensuring social protection and workers’ welfare is essential for the sustainable growth of Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) industry, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Director Nafis-Ud-Daula said.

He made the remarks at a workshop on the Unemployed Workers Protection Programme (UWPP) and Labour Information Management System (LIMS) held at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara on Thursday.

The day-long orientation workshop was organised by BGMEA in collaboration with the European Union-funded TA-SPBS project for management and human resources officials from member factories.

Nafis-Ud-Daula said initiatives under the Central Fund are helping support workers during periods of crisis and stressed stronger coordination among the government, BGMEA and development partners to strengthen workers’ skills, institutional capacity and the resilience of the garment industry.

The workshop focused on implementing the UWPP, beneficiary eligibility, registration requirements and the use of a digitalised labour information management system.

BGMEA Standing Committee on Skill Development Programme Chairman Zaved Hossain Bhuiyan stressed stronger institutional coordination among factories and timely support for workers facing unemployment or other crises.

EU-funded TA-SPBS Project Manager Valentina called for coordinated efforts among industry stakeholders, the government and development partners to strengthen the social safety net for garment workers.

She said a sustainable institutional framework was needed to protect the rights and welfare of workers facing temporary economic hardship, adding that the European Union would continue supporting long-term social protection initiatives for RMG workers.

Ministry of Labour and Employment Joint Secretary and Central Fund Director Tahmina Begum presented an overview of the UWPP and its implementation progress.

The UWPP, an updated version of a social protection initiative introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, provides Tk 5,000 in monthly cash assistance for up to three months to eligible workers who become temporarily unemployed due to factory closures, accidents or maternity leave.

The assistance is provided through the government-to-person (G2P) digital payment system under the Central Fund of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The workshop also featured technical sessions and an open discussion on the application process and procedures for receiving UWPP benefits.

Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Assistant Inspector General Al Amin highlighted the importance of digitalised labour information management and urged factories to ensure accurate payroll and National Identification (NID) information so eligible workers are not denied benefits because of errors in their records.

More than 50 member factories participated in the workshop.

Government officials, BGMEA representatives and development partners also attended, including GIZ Adviser Mahbubul and representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, DIFE and the EU-funded TA-SPBS project.

The organisers expressed hope that the initiative would help create a safer, more balanced and sustainable working environment in Bangladesh’s garment sector.