Govt working to bring RMG workers under food rationing scheme

The government is planning to bring RMG workers under food rationing scheme and necessary preparatory assessments is now at work, said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.
He made the disclosure while speaking as chief guest in a meeting titled "Recent RMG Growth: What lessons we learned about decent employment?" organized by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in partnership with Christian Aid in Bangladesh in the city on Wednesday. Professor Rehman Sobhan joined the dialogue virtually
The minister said the government is working to provide all assistance to garment workers and support to the industry to maintain the growth amid global crisis. He said the government is positive to demands raised by trade union leaders of garment workers.
Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD made the keynote presentation. Nuzhat Jabin, Programme Manager - Economic Justice, Christian Aid Bangladesh delivered the introductory remarks, Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director, CPD chaired the event.
Maheen Sultan, Senior Fellow of Practice, Gender, and Social Transformation, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), and Kalpona Akter, Founding member and Executive Director, Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity (BCWS) and RMG owners Anwar ul Azim took part in panel discussion. The commerce minister said he fears the existing growth of garment export may falter as orders are falling. He said to survive in the current dillydally global market collective efforts are needed.  
Tipu Munshi said, "We are not against trade union in the factories. But we want educated people in the trade union leadership who will see workers rights and will not allow harmful activities in the industry."
Khondaker Golam Moazzem dwelt with various existing problems in the RMG factories while pointing out that some positive developments including compliance issues have also helped growth.
Anwar Ul Azim said growth does not mean making higher profits. He said cost in international market for different products is on rise as a result despite higher growth profits are not growing. Moreover buyers are currently negotiating orders at lower prices.
Responding employing less workers he said "We are going for automation as per global standard and using artificial intelligence which is reducing workers numbers."
Mohammad Hatem said factories listed under compliance are still mainataing all the issues as per ILO requirements and it is maintained strictly.
Advocate Montu Ghosh said, "We are under repression.  Few days back our brothers and sisters could not bring out a demonstration demanding recourse for few issues as they were forcefully stopped." He said many owners are part of the government. But they are not paying heed to workers issues. Owners don't want trade union.
Khaled Mamun Chowdhury DG of the department of Labour said the government's Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) said "We are working to implement the compliance issues and improve working environment as per ILO." Other participants also spoke.