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BANGLADESH - FRAMING THE FUTURE

Highlights

Bangladesh - Framing the Future A High Level Conference on RMG and Beyond

The Westin Hotel

Dhaka, 19 March 2015


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Background

The Ready Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh accounts for revenues of $24.5 billion, employs

more than 4.2 million workers of whom most are women and the industry feeds approximately 20

million people in the country. Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest exporters of RMG. And as such

the industry is instrumental for the country’s wish to become a middle income country by 2021.

However, the way that the industry has grown, has led to practices which are far from sustainable in

respect of the environment and workers’ right and safety.

24 April 2013, Bangladesh was the center of one of the world’s worst industrial accidents ever. 1,136

RMG workers lost their lives when the factory building Rana Plaza collapsed. A tragedy which shocked

everyone and Bangladesh made the headlines all over the world. However, Rana Plaza, tragic as it was,

has become a game changer to Bangladesh and to the RMG Industry.

Since the tragedy, several initiatives have been taken. Bangladesh has been a first mover in respect of

multi-stakeholder cross cooperation, a cooperation which has led to important results. These results

may not have been achieved at the pace, which the world would have liked to see, but at least they

amount to serious improvements in respect of workers’ rights and safety within the RMG sector in

Bangladesh. The RMG industry alone has a wish of doubling output by 2021 and that requires new

thinking also in respect of the environmental aspects of production. Other industries will have to

contribute to achieve growth and such industries may benefit from the key lessons learned in the RMG

industry.

The conference ‘Bangladesh - Framing the Future’ takes stock on the key learnings of the last two years

and how these learnings may be leveraged to support further sustainable growth in Bangladesh. This

conference was organized as a follow up to the ‘High Level Conference on Garments and Textiles

Production in Bangladesh’ held in Copenhagen in April 2014, with the participation of the ILO, DIEH,

IndustriALL Global Union, BGMEA and Mr. Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment

of the Government of Bangladesh and relevant officials from Denmark.


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Session 1: Intro and Launch of Strategic Sector Cooperation

Setting the Scene The Executive Director, UK Institute for Human Rights and Business, and the

Workshop Facilitator, Mr. John Morrison began the day prompting that the

two year commemoration of the Rana Plaza collapse is in April 2015, only few

weeks away. There has been unprecedented multi-stakeholder cooperation in

improving the scenario but there are also challenges. The RMG sector aims to

double its exports and reach $50 bn by 2021, but hopefully not double the

environmental cost or energy consumption. He added that the key questions of

the conference are: (i) What worked over the past two years? (ii) What have

been some of the key challenges, and what would we have done differently?

A Human Story – Rana Plaza Workers Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh, H.E. Hanne Fugl Eskjær spoke about the

aftermath of the Rana Plaza collapse from a survivor’s point of view, from

the point of view of Shilpi. Shilpi comes from a very poor family and could

not study beyond class five. But her family’s luck changed as she and her

sister got a job at an RMG factory. Suddenly, they were able to provide for

themselves, their family and even pay for the education of their brother.

Working gave them pride and power. But that luck changed that day in April

2013, when Shilpi was caught inside the ruins of Rana Plaza. She was badly

wounded and will probably never work in a garments factory ever again. But

Shilpi still has her pride and she is adamant about getting her power back. With Shilpi’s story, Her

Excellency emphasized that there is hope to transform victims to survivors. The garments industry has

given employment to many women, and has the goal of tripling its employment numbers in the next five

years. If done in a responsible way, this will provide opportunity for many more women to learn the

trade and earn their own living. This will give them hope, pride and power.

Welcome Note The Danish Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation, Bangladesh,

H.E. Mogens Jensen placed a high value on the multi-stakeholder response to

reforming the RMG industry in Bangladesh, saying “Bangladesh is not only

framing its own future, but also setting an example for the rest of the world

about sustainable production.” Lessons learnt in the RMG sector will be utilized

by other industrial sectors to promote CSR and sustainable production.

Nowhere else in the world has a multi-stakeholder collaboration on a scale like

this come together to improve standards. Challenges exist, for example, the

need for proper enforcement of new Labour Law, the need to remove the

barriers to freedom of association and collective bargaining and the need to continue to invest in

infrastructure to ensure safe working conditions. The Danish government has entered into a unique

partnership with the Danish textile industry to ensure better and more sustainable production in

Bangladesh. Tangible results are expected from this partnership, in particular when it comes to social

dialogue in the workplace. The Danish government has also launched a six point CSR plan that includes a

specific focus on the textile production in Bangladesh and promotion of social dialogue.


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The Minister announced the launch of a new special sector cooperation programme between the

Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Danish Ministry of Employment, and

emphasized that future goals of the RMG industry of Bangladesh will put a lot of pressure on the

environment, and it is essential that scarce natural resources are used efficiently, specially water and

energy. He also mentioned that Bangladesh needs to focus on other promising sectors, such as the

leather industry, which exports around $1.5 billion but also has its challenges with the tannery process

itself and the rights and safety of workers. The shipbuilding industry is another that has potential. For

the last ten years, the industry has grown and Bangladesh is selling ships to other nations. To achieve

the great potential that these sectors have, focus must be on working conditions, safety and sustainable

production methods.

Opening Speeches The Permanent Secretary, Danish Ministry of Employment, Mr. Peter

Stensgaard Mørch expressed his delight in launching of a new strategic

cooperation between the Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and Employment

(MOLE) and the Danish Ministry of Employment focusing on occupational

safety and health. He mentioned that the staff from the Danish Ministry of

Employment and the Danish Working Environment authority will be working

closely with colleagues in the MOLE, including officials from Department of

Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and other stakeholders to assess how

Denmark can best support the ongoing efforts to improve the working

environment in Bangladesh. A 3-5 year cooperation project will be launched later in 2015, focusing on

the textile and garments industries. He also informed the audience that Denmark has a long tradition of

prioritizing occupational safety and health. First and foremost, Denmark firmly believes that workers

have the right to decent working conditions, and secondly recognizes that safe working places also leads

to higher productivity. Accidents and dangerous working environments often lead to a loss in

productivity. Inspections are a core tool in ensuring high standards and Denmark has about 400

occupational safety and health inspectors for about 1.5 million workers. The inspectors rely on dialogue

with entrepreneurs to find solutions in neutral understandings. Denmark has a successful tradition of

relying heavily on social dialogue, cooperation between workers, employers and the government in

order to achieve common goals of ensuring high standards in the most appropriate manners.

Special Guest, The Honourable State Minister of Labour and Employment,

Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, H.E. Mohammad Mujibul Haq

commented that the tragic incidents at Tazreen Garments and Rana Plaza

prompted the government to take steps to improve workplace safety and make

commitments to the international community which includes sustainable

production. The Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 was amended in 2013 to ensure

workplace safety and promote collective bargaining and a committee headed by

the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment is leading

implementation. After the amendment, a total of 290 trade unions have been

registered since January 2013 in the garments sector. A national tripartite plan of action on fire safety

and structural integrity in RMG sector in Bangladesh was adopted in 2013. The government, the Accord

and the Alliance have already completed the preliminary fire, electrical and structural integrity


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assessment of 2,550 factories out of approximately 4,000 factories, with the rest expected to be

complete by April 2015. The Directorate of Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has been upgraded to a

department with a staff of 993; 133 new inspectors have been recruited, bringing the total number of

inspectors to 266. “To establish transparency, a publicly accessible database for DIFE has been

established, in addition, we have also established a toll-free helpline from 15 March 2015 on a pilot

basis,” he added. He also informed the audience that the government has decided to establish a

dedicated RMG Village where vulnerable factories of Dhaka city will be relocated and acquisition of 500

acres of land is ongoing. He requested development partners to come forward with training programs

for RMG workers, and appreciated the constructive engagement of the Danish government in promoting

workers’ rights and safety through technical cooperation, awareness raising and capacity building.

Special Guest, The Honourable Foreign Minister, Government of the People’s

Republic of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali acknowledged His

Excellency Mogens Jensen’s speech on how Bangladesh and Denmark can work

together and how this cooperation is very useful for mapping opportunities and

also challenges facing Bangladesh and charting further steps ahead. He highlighted

the performance of manufacturing in Bangladesh, saying, “Our people and

entrepreneurs continue to show much resilience and innovation in course of

attaining the key social and economic development goals. This journey of

Bangladesh is truly a wider one from shirts to ships.”

He indicated that the RMG industry has undergone a lot of positive changes, yet some important

constraints remain for which Bangladesh require support from friends and partners. His speech also

mentioned that Bangladesh has been highly regarded in both the G20 and G7 summits, and this shows

the commitment of the international community in supporting Bangladesh. In the recent G7 summit,

Bangladesh has urged the member countries to engage with Bangladesh in building a sustainable global

supply chain and to give fair prices to local garment makers. . “We must consider that, while profit drags

business, endless profiteering in global supply chain at the expense of actual producers cannot go on.

Similarly supply chain must deliver on transparency, accountability, ethics equitably,” he added.

Ensuring decent work worldwide is a shared responsibility. Global business is about getting the

parameters of global development right. The key players of the global supply chain have to be able to

look deeper into issues of rights and equity of workers amongst their suppliers. All stakeholders need to

deliver on responsible business conduct.

He concluded his speech by thanking Denmark for keeping confidence and trust in Bangladesh in

difficult times.


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Signing Ceremony: Launch of Strategic Sector Cooperation

Mr. Mikhail Shipper, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment Bangladesh and Mr. Peter Stensgaard Mørch,

Permanent Secretary, Danish Ministry of Employment signing the Letter of Intent to launch the strategic sector

cooperation between Denmark and Bangladesh

Session 2: Lessons Learned Lessons Learned and Focus Areas Ahead

The Country Director, International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office

for Bangladesh, Mr. Srinivas B. Reddy mentioned the tripartite plan of action

on fire and building safety signed by the government and employers and buyers

organizations, shows a shift in the dynamics of collaboration and reflects the

commitments of the government, employers and buyers to improve the safety

of the RMG sector. Major changes were made to the Bangladesh Labour Act,

particularly to workers’ safety, legislation of trade unions, and transparency of

inspection process. The number of trade unions in the RMG sector grew from

only 126 in the last 30 years up to 2012 to 426 trade unions today. But they still

represent less than 4% of the workers. An immediate priority was to inspect all the 3,500 export-

oriented RMG factories throughout Bangladesh for fire and structural integrity. Close to 75% of the

factories have been inspected. ILO has launched a comprehensive RMG program focusing on workplace

safety and workers’ rights issues supported by the Governments of Canada, Netherlands, UK, Norway

and Denmark. Based on mechanisms that have been developed to review factories that are deemed

dangerously unsafe and to close them if necessary, 32 factories has been closed, potentially saving lives

of thousands. “Looking back, the most important lessons include the need for an all-encompassing and

comprehensive approach which involves the government and all private stakeholders in equal footing.

In this regard, neutral organizations like ILO can play an important coordinating role. The involvement of

buyers’ and workers’ organizations should also be considered integral to the process,” he concluded.


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The Vice President (Finance), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters

Association (BGMEA), Mr. Reaz-Bin-Mahmood observed that the RMG sector

does not simply employ people, rather, it is a very important part of the

socioeconomic development of the country. “The Tazreen and Rana Plaza

disasters were significant wake up calls to rebuild the industry and over the last

two years what we have seen is a paradigm shift in the mindset of the

entrepreneurs,” he said. Out of the 2,055 factories inspected by BGMEA, less

than 1.5% factories pose imminent danger to workers’ health and safety and 32

factories have been deemed necessary for closure. For the factories inspected, a

Corrective Action Plan has been formulated.

The BGMEA is working towards changing the image of Bangladesh so that it becomes known as the

safest in the world in terms of workplace safety. In order to create transparency in the process, all

inspection reports are publicly available online. The collaborative approach of stakeholders witnessed

over the last two years has been the key factor behind success. The government has played a very

important role in not only upgrading DIFE and giving it the resources it needs to carry out its functions

properly, but also in allowing tax-free imports of fire safety equipment. In addition to the above, the

BGMEA also conducts a crash course in fire safety for its members. The IFC-ILO Better Works Program

has trained 914 people so far, and BGMEA is training 100 people every month. He appreciated the

government’s role in increasing wages for RMG workers and urged buyers, especially the EU, to offer

higher prices to support the sector.

International Retailer’s Perspective The Chief Representative, H&M in Bangladesh, Mr. Roger Hubert said that

Bangladesh is the place to be for anyone who is involved in garments. Bangladesh

can be a brand at the forefront of responsible sourcing, and can be the supplier of

choice, not for lowest price, but for its sustainable ways of producing. Over the

last two years, the biggest achievement has been the changed mindset of buyers.

They are no longer simply looking for best prices, but have started to engage and

work together. He also drew attention to other issues, saying, “Since this

conference is about the future, I would like to draw attention to water. Water is

the most important aspect of our future! All our efforts to make factories

compliant and efficient will amount to nothing if the environment and water resources are not

protected.” He stated that tomorrow’s world of RMG in Bangladesh is a world of fashion and creativity,

but to realize that potential Bangladesh needs motivated workers, who are working in safe

environments.

The Donor’s Perspective The Netherlands Ambassador to Bangladesh, H.E. Gerben Sjoerd de Jong

echoed the general consensus that coordination at this level and by so many

different stakeholders has never been seen before. The local consultative group

on private sector development and the 3+5+1 group of government secretaries,

ambassadors and ILO have been instrumental in coordinating the efforts in the

sector monitoring and taking stock of the progress and the remaining

challenges. The issue of implementation of the amendments of the Labour Law


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is a crucial issue, one also discussed in Brussels last year, but there are still challenges. “We hope to see

BGMEA taking leadership in identifying the remaining non-compliant factories in the RMG sector,” he

added. He mentioned that a fully functional dispute resolution system for sufferers is needed and a

system of cooperation is required so that labour can be organized better in a safer environment. He

added that the technical issue of pricing to incorporate a socially complaint business model not only in

Bangladesh, but worldwide is a real challenge that has been discussed briefly at 3+5+1 group meetings.

His speech concluded on the note that Bangladesh is set to be the front runner for ethical sourcing

practices growth wise and donors and partners look forward to continue to work with Bangladesh.

Presentation on the Danish Partnerships Model and Joint Ethical Trade Initiative (JETI) The Director, Danish Ethical Trading Initiative (DIEH), Ms. Hanne Gürtler

presented the Danish Partnerships Model and Joint Ethical Trade Initiative (JETI),

which brings together 36 organizations to improve the coordination of efforts and

strengthen the collaboration between partners. The partnership represents a

unique platform for common meetings and joint initiatives between the sector and

the government. “There is a clear appetite for social dialogue and this needs to be

explored further – our program will develop scalable models for workplace social

dialogue with local and worker representation in the program,” she said. The

concept of social dialogue is embedded in giving workers a voice, and all relevant

stakeholders have been consulted in developing the program for Bangladesh. “Social dialogue is

fundamentally about ensuring that workers can voice their concerns in an organized way. In Bangladesh,

it is about giving 4 million workers a voice,” added Ms. Gürtler. The focus is on training programs on

rights and responsibilities of the different stakeholders and the issuing of the Rules and Regulations of

the Bangladesh Labour Act 2013 will help guide the implementation of the program. The DIEH/JETI is

currently preparing training modules, which will be published, and a website will also be launched soon.

Key Learnings: Cooperation Partners The Chief Safety Inspector, The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building

Safety, Mr. Brad Loewen explained the work of the Accord in Bangladesh.

There are 1,600 factories that the Accord has inspected and there are dozens

of lessons learnt from each. The Accord is an agreement between 200

international brands and labour unions to set up an Independent Inspectorate.

The Accord is a private initiative to ensuring standards and comes as a

response to the absence of a strong enough regulatory system in Bangladesh

that can ensure safe working conditions. There was some resistance to

inspections at first which the Accord had to overcome. He emphasized capacity

building for sustainability, saying, “Actual change in the building doesn’t need any dialogue. You go in,

find what’s wrong and get it fixed. But, dialogue comes in order to make this a sustainable change,

which is why we need Workplace Safety and Health Committees in all factories. Workers need to be

aware of their rights in order to ensure that our efforts sustain beyond our tenure.” He also mentioned

that it was critical for the process to be led by the private sector in Bangladesh.


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The Advisor to Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, Mr. Ian Spaulding

mentioned that the Alliance represents 28 North American brands that monitor

about 600 factories employing about 1.2 million workers. Together, they represent

$4 billion exports per year. There is a vast range of workers in the factories

inspected by the Alliance, from 200 to 5,000 workers per factory. The Alliance, like

the Accord, is a five year initiative ending in May 2018. “In regard to challenges, I

think it is important to accept realities on the ground in regard to why it

sometimes takes time to get things done. For example, you cannot install fire

doors and sprinklers quickly if standard equipment is not available locally. Skills

needed to install such equipment are also not easily found in Bangladesh as people are not familiar with

them”, he mentioned.

About one-third of the 600 factories under the Alliance’s coverage have taken charge and are making

necessary changes on their own. Another one-third needs a lot of push and a lot of support to get things

done. The last one-third is very slow to respond, perhaps due to shared or rented facilities or simply

because entrepreneurs do not have money to invest. The biggest result, according to the Alliance, is a

change in mindset. With the exception of a few, buyers didn’t really care before as much as they do now

about asking the tough questions. Buyers are now going more aware about the conditions of workers of

their suppliers and they are working with their supply chain to changes things.

The Secretary General, IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), Mr. Roy Ramesh

Chandra said that business mentality is changing. People understand that they

need to consider people, planet and profit; in that order. Bangladesh is definitely

moving in the right direction, but perhaps not moving fast enough, especially

with respect to establishment and improvement of worker’s rights in RMG

factories. He added, “The wage is higher today, but it is still not good enough to

support decent living conditions. Buyers need to pay the right price, so that

manufacturers can make a profit and also pay living wages.” He reminded the

audience that the IBC, even before Rana Plaza collapse on 17 April 2011, invited

the industry for support and formed a trade committee.


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Session 3: Framing the Future

Framing the Future – Challenges and Opportunities The Founder and Managing Partner, AT Capital Partners, Mr. Ifty Islam presented

the overview of the RMG industry and his presentation, titled “Achieving $50

billion by 2020” showed a possible trajectory starting from 1985 to 2020 where

the industry may reach a direct employment of 8 million people. The major

challenges outlined for the industry, included ensuring safe working conditions in

factories and the need to increase productivity of workers in order to maintain

competitiveness of the sector in the long run. He also mentioned political turmoil

and environmental concerns as challenges. The flipside of the employment and

export benefits that Bangladesh gets from the RMG sector is the even larger

economic benefit received by consumers in Western countries, since the finished product becomes

significantly cheaper since they are produced in Bangladesh. He also stressed the economic benefits

received by other sectors due to RMG, such as banking, packaging, transportation, etc.

He outlined a number of recommendations for Bangladesh in order to achieve its ambitious goals, which

included: moving up the value chain in terms of increasing the design/fashion component in RMG,

improving skills of workers and technology used in factories and developing Bangladesh brands that will

be marketed internationally and capture a greater proportion of the value chain. “Bangladesh needs to

develop a culture where the most compliant factories with best practice are also those that are most

successful and are rewarded with the largest and most consistent global buyer client base,” he said.

Buyers and BGMEA will then be able to positively influence and incentivize other less compliant factories

to reform. Thinking about the long term, he stressed the need to keep environmental and water-safety

related concerns in mind. Lastly, he said that Bangladesh also needs to prioritize finding the next $5

billion export sector, which, should be the most important concern of the Ministry of Commerce.


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Panel Discussion – ‘Sustainable Growth in RMG and Beyond’

The Executive Director, UK Institute for Human Rights and Business, and the Workshop Facilitator, Mr.

John Morrison facilitated the panel discussion.

The President, Leather and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association

Bangladesh (LFMEAB), Mr. Syed Nasim Manzur said that the rules of the game are

the same regardless of the sector, and the EU is at the forefront at setting some of

these standards. The leather sector has not faced the same compliance

impositions, perhaps because the leather sector has greater internal compliance

mechanisms and is better organized, but it is easier to be organized when the

numbers are small. “We only have 135 member firms in LFMEAB, whereas there

are 4,000 firms in RMG. So the dynamics are very different,” he added. The leather

sector has a history of 40 years of constructive and positive labour unions. He

underscored the ground realities of Bangladesh, which include high cost of doing business, regulatory

difficulties and the weakening Euro. The comparison with neighbors and comparators need to include

these unique constraints. He said that entrepreneurs must recognize that better factories simply make

better business sense and that a stable and productive workforce is key to sustainable business. Citing

the example of Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) which is well known in the

leather sector, he stressed the importance of international accreditation as a major factor in the growth

and sustainability of the industry. “On paper we have some of the best laws in Bangladesh, but I think

what we lack is good governance,” he said.

The Managing Director, Western Marine Shipyard, Mr. Sakhawat Hossain said

that the shipbuilding sector is growing and can change Bangladesh’s image.

Quality control is the key in shipbuilding in order to enter export markets. Echoing

the comments of Mr. Manzur, he also mentioned that certification and quality is

very important. For example, Western Marine Shipyard has a certified quality

management system and has been ISO certified for safe working environment

which both have been a precondition to receive orders from foreign buyers. He

also mentioned the need for good governance in Bangladesh, along with IMS

Compliance, manpower utilization and capacity development.


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The Vice Chairperson, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Ms. Shirin

Akhter, MP who is also the Member of Parliament, spoke about the need to be

more specific when it comes to ensuring workers’ rights. “Most of the workers in

the RMG sector are women. They do not have education and are not aware of

their rights. We need to work towards changing the reluctance of entrepreneurs

about these issues,” she said. Entrepreneurs need to understand the issue of

productivity from a comprehensive point of view, since productivity is linked to the

overall mental, physical and social health of every worker. And this is truer for

women than it is for men. With respect to higher number of trade unions, she

questioned whether there is more trade union activity or not. She also stressed that although there is

more safety committees in existence, people do not know how these committees will function. Also

echoing the need for good governance, she said that Bangladesh needs to have a vision, and needs to

have motivation to stand behind that vision.

The Vice President of Corporate Sustainability, Novo Nordisk, Ms. Susanne

Stormer highlighted the importance of looking at CSR as something embedded in

business practices and decisions and not a separate activity. She mentioned that

people in Bangladesh have to take care of themselves, they have no health

insurance, no coverage for medicine, and everyone is responsible for their own

health. In these circumstances, ethical practices in the workplace become even

more crucial. “Our local partner Eskayef Bangladesh Limited incorporates ethical

standards at every stage and we acknowledge that we cannot do business without

involving stakeholders. We invest in education of partners such as doctors and also

support infrastructure building. We need to recognize that no business is an island, it exists and acts as

part of a greater community and needs to act accordingly,” she said, adding that Bangladesh definitely

needs to think about the long run and worry about the basics in order to emerge as a middle income

country in the future. If Bangladesh has a well-fed, well-educated and healthy workforce in place, the

rest will follow. She also emphasized the need to take climate change into consideration. In suit with the

rest of the panel discussants, she also mentioned that Bangladesh needs to ensure good governance,

but added that good governance does not rely on others – it depends on every individual and people

need to actively contribute to the process.


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Concluding Remarks

The President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association

(BGMEA), Mr. Md. Atiqul Islam said that although the Bangladesh RMG sector

faced many challenges the industry overcame them all. Bangladesh successfully

eliminated child labour in 1994, increased apparel export even after the Multi Fiber

Agreement quota was phased out in 2005 and also survived the global recession.

He appreciated the progress of inspections by Accord and Alliance, and the

government amending the labour law and making inspection information publicly

available. “In order to frame a bright future for Bangladesh, the most crucial factor

is institutional capacity building and capacity building of inspectors since we need

to sustain current efforts when Accord and Alliance are no longer in Bangladesh. We need to ensure that

productivity of workers are improved as well as improvement of working conditions as these are keys to

improving competitiveness,” he said. Trade unions are welcome and workers need to be educated about

how to use these platforms properly. He also stressed the need to have a long term relationship with

buyers since price squeezing can no longer be the norm of the day. Looking forward, environmental

safety will also need to be made a priority and stakeholder support will be crucial in positioning

Bangladesh’s achievements in the international community.

Chief Guest, The Honorable Commerce Minister, Government of People’s

Republic of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Tofail Ahmed mentioned that Denmark has

been a good friend to Bangladesh since the independence of the country.

Highlighting Bangladesh’s ability to withstand the odds, he said, “Once upon a

time, we did not have forex reserve, we didn’t have paved roads, we were short

on food grains but we have overcome those difficulties. Bangladesh will be a

middle income country by 2021. We are the second largest RMG exporter of the

world, Goldman Sachs has termed Bangladesh as part of the Next 11 and JP

Morgan has included us in the Frontier 5 list of countries.” After Rana Plaza, the

government has taken a comprehensive plan of action to improve condition of workers in the RMG

sector. Citing a survey by Democracy International, he said that RMG workers in Bangladesh are happy.

The minimum wage of a worker is $69 (5,300 BDT). But according to the survey, the minimum income of

a worker is $97 (7,500 BDT), through over time work. Workers are aware about trade unions and want

their trade union leader to be selected from their body of workers. When comparing trade union

activity, he informed the audience that in the US, only 7% of workers in the private sector belong to

trade unions, and this figure is 35% for the public sector. Bangladesh has done everything that was

needed in the wake of Rana Plaza, we appointed more inspectors, setup database of inspection data and

also facilitated the registration of trade unions. He expressed his gratefulness to the EU for duty free

access, and encouraged stakeholders to remember that compliance requires investment and this cannot

be sustained without higher prices from buyers. He also mentioned that the Bangladesh government is

focusing on four sectors: Leather, Shipbuilding, IT and Pharmaceutical Sector and will support them as

needed.


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The Danish Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation, H.E. Mogens

Jensen, in his concluding speech, mentioned that it is clear that Bangladesh has

come far, but still has a long way to go. The same is true for many countries in

the world in terms of creating a safe working environment. “Denmark will of

course stay involved in supporting RMG and in the growth of new sectors of

Bangladesh. We believe in investment in People, Planet and Profit,” he added,

making three key concluding observations:

(i) There is still a need for social dialogue and momentum cannot be lost.

Denmark has made a commitment of EUR 10 million in CSR activities.

(ii) Greening of industries of Bangladesh is necessary for long term growth and it also makes business

sense.

(iii) Other sectors will benefit from the lessons learnt from the RMG sector in becoming large export-

oriented sectors of Bangladesh.


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Conclusions from the Conference

Lessons learnt and Framing the Future The last 2 years’ multi-stakeholder cross cooperation involving the government, producers, buyers,

trade federations, NGO’s and donors has been unique and never seen before. The multi-stakeholder

cross cooperation has let to important results. These results may not have been achieved at the pace,

which the world would have liked to see, but they amounts to serious improvements in respect of

workers’ rights and safety within the RMG sector in Bangladesh.

Continued Good Efforts

The future depends on being able to continue the collective efforts that have come into play from the

Accord, the Alliance, the Government of Bangladesh and the development community represented by

ILO and the donors. In order to sustain the momentum gained by the many initiatives, the following

factors will be most crucial:

Raising the capacity of MOLE/ DIFE and making resources available to carry out inspections

covering 100% of all factories; inspectors need to have the tendency to collaborate with factories to

technically support the implementation of Corrective Action Plans. They need to be seen as working

with the factories and not against!

Buyers keeping workers’ welfare in mind and making their sourcing decisions not only based on

price, but also on standards and ethical practices.

The Bangladesh Government, through the related ministries, to pursue the commitment of

supporting the ongoing initiatives, amendment/introduce as well as ensure proper implementation

and governance of appropriate laws and policies.

The 3+5+1 forum has to continue to operate and influence, and preferably initiate a tripartite

agreement.

Garment factory owners to continue the efforts in making sure compliance is a key element in their

management practice as to ensure better health and safety for the workers and to realize that CSR

as something embedded in business practices and decisions and not as a separate activity. Efficient

and strategic CSR not only increases worker productivity but also makes sense for making higher

profit!

More Inclusive Collective Bargaining

Despite the rapid growth in registration of trade unions they still only represent about 4% of the

workers in the RMG sector. Trade union growth must be facilitated in the future as well and the majority

of workers must be represented through collective bargaining. Even more importantly education of

workers about their rights and how they can make use of the position of a union member needs to

continue for the foreseeable future. At the same time the factory owners need to see the advantages in

collaborating with the unions and support freedom of association and collective bargaining.

A More Productive Workforce

In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the RMG sector, activities to ensure continuous productivity

improvement need to be given special attention since higher productivity is crucial to ensure future

competitiveness of the sector. This is also equally important if the sector is to keep growing and


16

employing more workers while offering higher wages to its workers. Moving up the value chain will also

greatly contribute to increase the factor productivity of labour in the RMG sector in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh: A Role Model

Bangladesh can be a strong brand of responsible sourcing and a supplier choice for sustainable

production and not just for lower price. But in order to improve the image of Bangladesh in the minds of

the international community, the successes of the past two years and ongoing efforts and commitments

need to be communicated to the international community. This will not only improve the performance

of the RMG sector, but will positively impact other industrial sectors as well.

Greening the Industry

Going forward, the challenges faced by the sector are far beyond ensuring labour safety and rights, and

extend to its impact on environment and resource usage. Keeping the industry’s aspiration for ambitious

growth in mind, there is a tremendous need to ensure that this growth does not come at the cost of

environmental degradation and inefficient usage of resources. Issues such as energy efficiency, effluent

treatment and green technologies will be of paramount importance to long-term success and

sustainability of the RMG and other sectors.

Beyond RMG

Beyond RMG, there are sectors in Bangladesh that has the potential to become major exporters and

contributors to the economy of Bangladesh. These sectors need to be identified and supported for

growth. Besides ensuring workers´ rights and safety and a sustainable industry, access to international

markets hinges also on product quality and on internationally recognized accreditations and

certifications at the factory level. The success of other potential sectors will depend largely on

entrepreneurs learning the lessons of the RMG sector and on obtaining key accreditations.

The multi-stakeholder cross cooperation is key to reach the ultimate goal of a true sustainable and

competitive RMG sector in Bangladesh. A cooperation where responsibilities are shared among the

stakeholders and where the Government of Bangladesh has a crucial and important role and don’t see

the many initiatives as a burden but as an opportunity to grow its exports industries in a sustainable way

and reach its goal of becoming a middle income country by 2021.


17

Sculptures of Survival

The Sculptures

Rana Plaza was first and foremost a human disaster, both for the lives that were lost, and for the

survivors that are marked for life. It is those survivors and their future that the exhibition ‘Sculptures of

Survival’ celebrates. Through the partnership with Meena e.V, Dhamrai Metal Crafts, Abir Abdullah and

Kristen Fugl, the Danish Embassy hopes to continue these people’s journey towards healing and

rehabilitation.

On January 31 2015, a daylong Art-Therapy Workshop was organized for survivors of the Rana Plaza

tragedy. With support from a local Artisan Sculptor, Sukanta Banik, and his team of artists at their venue

in Dhamrai, about forty women survivors and orphaned children were brought together for this daylong

creative workshop, where they were guided in creating sculptures telling their stories of survival, future

hopes and dreams. A total of 10 sculptures were created with the intention of selling them at the

conference “Bangladesh - Framing the Future”, along with photographs from renowned photographer

Abir Abdullah, who has documented the life of the survivors of Rana Plaza from the start.

The sale of the sculptures and photographs

The sculptures and photographs were sold during the conference, to raise money for the survivors of

Rana Plaza through the NGO Meena. Representatives of several of the attending businesses, as well as

embassies bought a sculpture and made a donation, and as a result thereof many more survivors of

Rana Plaza will receive help through Meena’s programs. The Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh is

happy to announce that all but one sculpture was sold, but it is still possible to buy one of the beautiful

photographs taken by Abir Abdullah. Please contact the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh for

enquiries about the photographs.

Meena e.V.

The Savar Victim Support (SVS) is a project component of the NGO Meena. Savar Victims Support has

been on the frontline of the Rana Plaza disaster, providing relief to those in need with a special focus on

young mothers and orphans. SVS provides medical assistance, food distribution, financial support,


18

psycho-social counselling, recreation days, literacy classes and skills training for the victims and children

of the Rana Plaza disaster.

Contact information Meena e.V.

Meena e.V. Savar Victims Support

Farhana von Mitzlaff, Founder and Executive Director

Tel. 01929069643; E-mail: [email protected]

PARTICIPATION LIST BANGLADESH - FRAMING THE FUTURE

No Name Title Organisation Type

1 A. K. Azad Managing Director That's It Sports Wear Ltd. Textile factory/industry

2 A. M. M. Safiullah Vice Chancellor and Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

3 A. M. M. Taufiqul Anwar Professor Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Academic

4 Aamanur Rahman Deputy Director, policy and campaigns Actionaid NGO

5 Abdullahel Baqui Deputy Secretary Coordination and Nordic Economics relations division Government

6 Abdus Sobhan Managing Director Auko-Tex Group Textile factory/industry

7 ABM Sarwer-e-Alom-Sarker Assistant Secretary (Europe) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

8 Abrar A. Anwar Managing Director Standard Chartered Bank Business

9 Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali Honourable Foreign Minister Bangladesh Government Speaker

10 Afzal Hossain COO Asia Jute Business

11 Afzal Hossain Senior Executive Navana Toyota Limited Business

12 Ahsan H. Mansur Executive Director Policy Research Institute Academic

13 Al Masud Tipu Representative Valid International Business

14 Alexander Timmermann Senior Business Development Manager Grontmij A/S - Denmark Business

15 Amanullah Dean Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

16 Amriul Haque Amin President National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) Trade Union

17 Anders Feldt Associate Danish Chamber of Commerce Business Association

18 Andrei Bankaev 1st Secretary Embassy of Russia Embassy

19 Anette Aarestrup Chief Adviser (GRV) Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

20 Anette Galskjøt Consultant The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

21 Anna Larzetty Buus Sørensen Public Relations Intern The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

22 Anwar Hossain Merchandising Manager Bangladesh Fashion Source LTD. Business

23 Anwarul Haque Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

24 Arild Klokkerhaug Executive Committee Member Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce

25 Ashraful Alam Head of Corporate & Distributor Partnerships Milvik Bangladesh Limited Business

26 Asif Representative BD Source Business

27 Assaduzzaman Managing Director Bangladesh Fashion Source LTD. Business

28 Astrid Eriksen Finance Intern The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy


20

29 Azam Nur Rahman Chowdhury Head of Operations Inditex (ZARA etc.) Business

30 Babul Akhter President Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF) Trade Union

31 Badruddoza Nizam General Secretary Garment Tailors Worker's League Trade Union

32 Benôit-Pierre Laramée. High Commissioner Canadian High Commission in Bangladesh Embassy

33 Billy Woodward Governance Officer USAID Embassy

34 Brad Loewen Chief Safety Inspector Accord Speaker

35 Brig. General Shawkat Hossain Executive Director Auko-Tex Group Textile factory/industry

36 Carsten Gloeckner Junior Expert Giz Embassy

37 Cecilie Weinreich Larsen Commercial Assistant The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

38 China Rahman General Secretary Federation of Garments Workers (FGW) Trade Union

39 Christopher Young Vice President Li & Fung Bangladesh Textile factory/industry

40 Claus Blok Thomsen Journalist Politiken Journalist

41 David Hasanat Chairman Viyellatex Group Business

42 David Meale Deputy Chief of Mission US Embassy of Bangladesh Embassy

43 Debapriya Bhattacharya Distinguished Fellow Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) NGO

44 Debbie Coulter Head of Programme Ethical Trading Initiative NGO

45 Ehsanul Karim Kaiser Executive Director Esquire Group Textile factory/industry

46 Elsebeth Jarmbæk Project Manager Danish Working Environment Authority Government

47 Emelda Mullick Human Rights and Labour Assistant USAID Embassy

48 Enamul Huque Head of Local Corporate Business Standard Chartered Bank Business

49 Engr. M. Abu Taher Chairman

Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters'

Association Business Association

50 Engr. Tasqen A. Khan Managing Director Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority Government

51 Eva Hagström

52 Farhana Ruma Programme Officer The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

53 Farhana von Mitzlaff Founder & Chairperson Meena e.V. NGO

54 Faruque Hassan Managing Director Giant Group Textile factory/industry

55 Ferdaus Ahmed International Relationship Secretary Bangladesh Federation of Workers Solidarity (BFWS) Trade Union

56 Ferdnand von Weyhe Chargé Affaires German Embassy Bangladesh Embassy

57 Ferdous Sheikh Project Director PCCN Bangladesh


21

58 Francesca Giometti CSR Partnership Officer CSR Centre NGO

59 Fridolin Müller Holm Chief Project Manager Viegand Maagøe Business

60 George Nokrek Program Manager Tarango NGO

61 Gerben Sjoerd de Jong Ambassador The Dutch Embassy Speaker

62 Golam Sarwar Consumer Business Unit UL VS Bangladesh Limited Business

63 Hanne Fugl Eskjær Ambassador The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Speaker

64 Hanne Gürtler Director Danish Ethical Trading Initiative (DIEH) Speaker

65 Hasan Fatheme Executive Director Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce

66 Hasib-Ul-Hasan Assistant General Manager, HR & Compliance Esquire Group Textile factory/industry

67 Hasina Newaz CEO Orchid Printers Business

68 Henrik Larsen Director United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) International organisation

69 Humayun Rashid Senior Vice President Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chamber of Commerce

70 Hüseyin Müftüoğlu Ambassador Embassy of Turkey Embassy

71 Ian Spaulding Adviser to Alliance Bangladesh Worker Safety Speaker

72 Iftekhar Zaman Executive Director Transparency International Bangladesh International organisation

73 Ifty Islam Founder and Managing Partner AT Capital Partners Speaker

74 Imran Kabir Economic Affairs and Trade Adviser Royal Norwegian Embassy Embassy

75 Imranul Hoque Assistant Professor Jagannath University Academic

76 Iqbal Ahmed Director (Foreign Secretary's Office) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

77 Ishita Dutta Researcher Bangladesh Legal Aid and services trust (BLAST) NGO

78 Israt Jahan Admin and Finance Officer Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce

79 Jacob Christian Ehrbahn Journalist Politiken Journalist

80 Jakob Jensen Deputy Permanent Secretary Danish Ministry of Employment Government

81 Jamil Ansar Programme Coordinator Joint Ethical Trade Initiative NGO

82 Jan Vang Associate Professor Aalborg University Academic

83 Jens Rise Rasmussen Project Manager Danish Working Environment Authority Government

84 Jesper Ellegaard CEO Pure H2O A/S Business

85 Jesper Nielsen International Consultant United Federation of Danish Workers (3F) Trade Union

86 Jette Robenhagen HR Consultant NCCI 3E Project Chamber


22

87 Johan Frisell Ambassador Swedish Embassy Embassy

88 Johan Stellansson Relations Responsible H&M / Puls Trading Far East Limited Business

89 John Morrison Executive Director Institute for Human Rights and Business Moderator

90 Jonatan Thompson Director PurifAid Water International Inc. NGO

91 Jørn Kresten Roed Journalist Herning Folkeblad Journalist

92 Kakoli Saha Assistant Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

93 Kamaruddin Muzakkir CFO Asia Jute Business

94 Kate Wild Acting Country Manager GAIN - Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition NGO

95 Kazi Shariful Alam Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

96 Kenneth Stanley Hardy Project Manager Viking Rubber A/S Business

97 Khondaker Golam Moazzem Additional Research Director Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) NGO

98 Klaus Christoffersen Co-owner Universal Color & Chemical Aps Business

99 Kohinoor Yeasmin CEO Tarango Business

100 Kristine Zeuthen Jeppesen Award Management Coordinator Save the children NGO

101 Kutubuddin Ahmed President Bangladesh Garments Tailors & Leather Workers Federation Trade Union

102 Lars Branth Managing Director Williams Ltd. (Reg: 80) Textile factory/industry

103 Lee Yun Young Ambassador Embassy of South Korea Embassy

104 Leif Bj. Hansen Country Manager Varner Retail Bangladesh Business

105 Lene Volkersen Deputy Head of Mission The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

106 Linda Ingolfsdottir Sustainability Intern H&M / Puls Trading Far East Limited Business

107 Linda Nordahl Jakobsen Journalist Freelance Journalist

108 Lipon Richard Costa Representative Bestseller Business

109 Lone Henriksen Head of Division Danish Ministry of Employment Government

110 Lone Ilum Christiansen Program Consultant Ulandssekretariatet Trade Union

111 Loree Semeluk Second Secretary Canadian High Commission in Bangladesh Embassy

112 Louis B. Vanegas Programme Manager - Chief Technical Advisor Better Work Bangladesh International organization

113 Louise Ratjen Key Account Manager Compass Sourcing Business

114 Lucinda Bell Deputy High Commissioner Australian High Commission Embassy

115 M. H. Khan Advisor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic


23

116 M. S. Morshed Associate Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

117 Mads Christoffersen Co-owner Universal Color & Chemical Aps Business

118 Mads Rahbek Thuesen Office Manager ID Business

119 Magdalena Bauer Research Assistant Embassy of Germany Bangladesh Embassy

120 Mahbud Hassan Saleh Director General (Europe) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

121 Mahreen Khan Senior Advisor Netherlands Embassy Embassy

122 Malek Maalouf Post doc Aalborg University Academic

123 Mamunur Rahman Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

124 Mamunur Rashid Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academics

125 Marat Yu Associate, Partnership Development Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) International organisation

126 Marcia Bernicat Ambassador US Embassy in Bangladesh Embassy

127 Mario Palma Ambassador Embassy of Italy Embassy

128 Martin Bille Hermann State Secretary for Dev. Policy Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

129 Martin Engmann Jensen Head of Section Danish Ministry of Employment Government

130 Martin Moos Commercial Assistant The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

131 Masarrat Quader Private Sector Development Advisor DFID Embassy

132 Md. Amanullah Khan Deputy General Manager Auko-Tex Group Textile factory/industry

133 Md. Asadullh Al Mamum Director BHDP Textile factory/industry

134 Md. Atiqul Islam President Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association Speaker

135 Md. Azim Uddin General Manager That's It Sports Wear Ltd. Textile factory/industry

136 Md. Borkot Ali Assistant Director (legal) Bangladesh Legal Aid and services trust (BLAST) NGO

137 Md. Golam Mortaza Economist Asian Development Bank Business

138 Md. Habibur Rahman Khan Executive Chairman UCEP Bangladesh Business Association

139 Md. Mosibur Rahman Bhuiyan Secretary National Coordination Committee for Workers Education (NCCWE) Trade Union

140 Md. Rafiqul Islam Senior Deputy Secretary Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association Business Association

141 Md. Rashadul Alam Raju, Joint Secretary

Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation

(BIGUF) Trade Union

142 Md. Rumee Ali Advisor the BRAC Executive Director BRAC NGO

143 Md. Saiful Islam Senior Vice President Leathergoods & Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh Business Association

144 Md. Saiful Alam Representative Pioneer Overseas Ltd. Business


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145 Md. Shafiqur Rahman Business Consultant Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industries Ltd. Chamber of Commerce

146 Md. Shahidul Haque Foreign Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

147 Md. Shahidullah Azim Managing Director Classic Fashion Concept Ltd. Textile factory/industry

148 Md. Sultanul Islam Manager BRAC NGO

149 Md. Zafrul Hasan Joint Secretary General Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) Academic

150 Mehdi Mahbub CEO & Chief Consultant Best Sourcing Textile factory/industry

151 Merete Lundemø Ambassador Embassy of Norway Embassy

152 Mette Ekeroth Private Secretary to the Minister Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

153 Mia Hallén Political and Commercial affairs Embassy of Sweden Embassy

154 Michael McGrath Country Director Save the Children NGO

155 Mijanur Rahman Vice Chancellor and Professor Jagannath University Academic

156 Minne Bosma Advisor Ready-Made Garment Sector Netherlands Embassy Embassy

157 Mogens Jensen Minister for Trade and Development Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

158 Mohammad Ali Vice President Garment Tailors Worker's League Trade Union

159 Mohammad Enamul Huque Managing Director Standard Chartered Bank Business

160 Mohammad Sarwar Morshed Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

161 Mosharraf Hossain Professor Jagannath University Academic

162 Mozammel Mia Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

163 Muhammed A. Muhit Ambassador Designate to Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

164 Mujibul Haque Chunnu State Minister of Labour and Employment Ministry of Labour and Employment, Bangladesh Government

165 Musarrat Hossain Program Officer CSR Centre NGO

166 Muzadded Sustainability Developer. IKEA Dhaka Office Business

167 Nabila Islam Business Development Executive Asia Jute Business

168 Nasim Uddin

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association Business Association

169 Nazma Akter President Sommilito Garments Sromik Federation (SGSF) Trade Union

170 Nazneen C. Huq Chairman Change Associates Ltd. NGO

171 Nina Tranberg Intern Embassy of Sweden Embassy

172 Nirvana Mujtaba Project Manager - Garment Workers program GAIN - Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Initiatives

173 Nur Mohammad Amin Rasel Senior Deputy Secretary Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association Business Association


25

174 Odd Sinding Deputy Head of Department ALO Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

175 Ole Damkjær Nielsen Journalist Berlingske Journalist

176 Oluf Sandkull Development Analyst Embassy of Sweden Embassy

177 Omar Gias Senior Deputy Secretary BGMEA Business Association

178 Patrick Sandoval Nichols Deputy head of mission Embassy of Spain Embassy

179 Paula Albertson Labour Attaché US Embassy in Bangladesh Embassy

180 Peder Pedersen Managing Director Arla Foods Bangladesh Ltd. Business

181 Peter Nørby Olesen Director Esquire Sourcing Business

182 Peter Rasmussen Journalist Frelance, 3F Journalist

183 Peter Stensgaard Mørch Permanent Secretary Danish Ministry of Employment Government

184 Peter Vesterheden Director Danish Working Environment Authority Government

185 Pierre Fabre Head of Economics Embassy of France Embassy

186 Pierre Mayaudon Ambassador and Head of Delegation Delegation of the European Union of Bangladesh International organisation

187 Poul Kjær Special Adviser to the Minister Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government

188 Qauzi Ahmed CEO Future Leaders (NCCI Member) Chamber of Commerce

189 Quazi Nazmul Haque Sr. Programme Officer The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

190 Rabin Mesbah Managing Director Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety International organisation

191 Rafia Sultana Sr. Compliance Officer KappAhl Business

192 Rahat Hossain Representative Criticalink NGO

193 Rajan Kumar Head of Office Novo Nordisk Bangladesh Business

194 Rajarshi Banerjee Country Manager ABB Limited Business

195 Razaul Karim Head of CSR Inditex S.A. Textile factory/industry

196 Reaz-bin-Mahmood Vice President, Finance BGMEA Speaker

197 Riaz Hamidullah Director General (Economic Affairs) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

198 Rishi Datta Country Director National Democratic Institute NGO

199 Robert W. Gibson High Commissioner British High Commission, Bangladesh Embassy

200 Robert Watkins UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh UN International organisation

201 Roger Hubert Chief Representative H&M in Bangladesh Speaker

202 Roy Ramesh Chandra Secretary General IndustriAll Bangladesh Council Speaker


26

203 Rozina Razzak Director Standard Chartered Bank Business

204 Ruhul Amin General Secretary Bangladesh Federation of Workers Solidarity (BFWS) Trade Union

205 Rupali Chowdhury President Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce NGO

206 Rustam Pulatov Assistant Country Director UNDP International organisation

207 S. M. Morshed Vice Chairman

Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment

Foundation (OSHE) Trade Union

208 Saadia Taufiq Programme Officer The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

209 Sadat Omar Managing Director Cutting Edge Industries Ltd Business

210 Saiful islam Mazumder Key Account Manager. Milvik Bangladesh Limited Business

211 Samia Israt Ronee Senior Assistant Secretary (Europe) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

212 Samina Ahsan Shahrukh Senior Commercial Officer Trade The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

213 Sanjidaa Hoque Advisor Embassy of Spain Embassy

214 Sarah Cooke Country Representative DFID Embassy

215 Selima Ahmed President Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) Business Association

216 Shafiq Islam Executive Director Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) NGO

217 Shah Asif Rahman Director (Foreign Minister's Office) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

218 Shahida Begum Program Director Save the Children NGO

219 Shahidul Alam Code of practice Manager - Bangladesh NEXT Business

220 Shahnila Azher Team Leader - Growth and private sector British High Commission Embassy

221 Shakhawat Hossain Managing Director Western Marine Shipyard Speaker

222 Shamsuddin Mutaki Chief Executive Officer Asia Jute Business

223 Sharif Islam Country Manager Impact Bangladesh Private Limited Business

224 Shawkat Hossain Executive Director Auko-Tex Group Business

225 Sheik H M Mustafiz Proprietor Cute Group Textile factory/industry

226 Shirajul Islam (Rony) President Bangladesh Garment Sramik Karmachari League Trade Union

227 Shirin Akhter Vice Chairperson Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies Speaker

228 Shubhomoy Haque Programme Officer ActionAid Bangladesh NGO

229 Shyamal Biswas Professor Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Academic

230 Sikder Monoare Murshed Director, Scandinavian Study Center (SSC) Dhaka University Academic

231 Sirajul Islam Rony President

Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employees League

(BNGWEL) Trade Union


27

232 SM Anisul Haque Director (Europe) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Government

233 Sonia d' Silva Executive Assistant to the Ambassador The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

234 Sophie Aubert Ambassador Embassy of France Embassy

235 Søren Kannik Country Manager TOM TAILOR GROUP Business

236 Søren Robenhagen Commercial Counsellor The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

237 Søren Zeuth Journalist Freelance, 3F Journalist

238 Srinivas B. Reddy Country Director ILO Speaker

239 Sten Toft Petersen Regional Program Coordinator 3F Bangladesh Trade Union

240 Stephan Skare Enevoldsen Danida Adviser Nordic Chamber of Commerce & Industry Chamber of Commerce

241 Steve Needham Senior Communications Officer ILO International organisation

242 Sukanta Banik Owner Dhamrai Metal Crafts Business

243 Sumaya Rashid Country Director SR Asia International organisation

244 Susanne Stormer VP Corporate Sustainability Novo Nordisk Speaker

245 Suvash Saha Administration Manager Ikea Dhaka Office Business

246 Swapan Saha Chief Operating Executive Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal (BD) LTD. NGO

247 Syed Ahmed Inspector General Ministry of Labour and Employment, Bangladesh Government

248 Syed Nasim Manzur President

Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters

Association of Bangladesh Speaker

249 Syed Rafiqul Deputy Managing Director Mutual Trust Bank Ltd. Business

250 Tahera Farhad Senior HR & Admin. Officer The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

251 Tasmim Zahid Anwar Programme Officer The Royal Danish Embassy, Dhaka Embassy

252 Thomas Jazrawi Journalist U-landsnyt Journalist

253 Tofail Ahmed Honourable Minister of Commerce Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Government

254 Toufiq Ali Chief Executive Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre International organisation

255 Triporna Das Assistant Manager DBL Group Business

256 Tuomo Poutiainen Programme Manager RMG Sector International Labour Office International organisation

257 Tyson William Lyall Journalist Altinget Journalists

258 Vicente Vivencio T. Bandildo Ambassador to Bangladesh Philippines Embassy Embassy

259 Wazedul Islam Khan General Secretary Bangladesh Trade Union Center Trade Union

260 Yameen Farook Director Navana Toyota Limited Trade Union


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261 Z.M. Kamrul Amin President Bangladesh Textile & Garment Workers League (BTGWL) Trade Union

262 Zahangir Alam Manager, Sustainability Bestseller Business

263 Zaki Hassan Executive Director UCEP-Bangladesh (Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs) NGO

264 Zakir Hossain Chief Executive Nagorik Uddyog NGO

265 Ziauddin Ahmed Director Auko-Tex Group Textile factory/industry

266 Zillul Hye Razi Economic Advisor European Union International organisation

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