Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said that the working environment of EPZs is very good. Workers at the EPZs are getting higher salary and other facilities than non EPZ workers. They are getting the opportunities to bargain with the owners through Workers Welfare Association (WWA). He told this in the opening ceremony of Remi Holdings Limited, a garments factory of Adamjee EPZ which has already achieved LEED Platinum Certificate with highest score.
Commerce Minister said that the EPZs workers are satisfied with their wages, facilities, working environment and security. Compliance is ensured in the EPZ factories. No labour rights are violated here, he added. Addressing the US Ambassador Ms. Marcia Bernicat, who is also present in the program, he said that export of our garment products has been increased in the USA market despite of withdrawal of GSP facilities. He urged USA to give duty free access of our garment products. Pointing out the environment of EPZs he said that the same working environment is prevailing in other EPZs like Adamjee EPZ. He highly appreciated the overall activities of BEPZA.
Commerce Minister also said that the Honourable Prime Minister is working to turn Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021 and developed by 2041 to make Golden Bangla, the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bangladesh will go forward despite breaking all the hurdles, he added. He is confident that our garments export will exceed 50 billion and total national export 60 billion by 2021.
The special guest of the program Executive Chairman of BEPZA Major General Mohd Habibur Rahman Khan, ndc, psc said, majority of Eight EPZs of the country is done by the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Pointing out the vision of BEPZA is to become a significant contributor for economic development of Bangladesh he said that during the last couple of years BEPZA has been contributing around 20% to both total national export and FDI of the country from the EPZs located in the different parts of the country consisting only 2307.27 acres of land.
Mentioning the remarkable success of BEPZA in the last 7 years under the dynamic leadership of the Honurable Prime Minister the Executive Chairman of BEPZA said that during 2009-2015 period, BEPZA achieved 147.76% growth in investment, 187.47% in export earnings and 123.29% in employment generation compared to that of previous 7 years. In the last 7 years, 2,33,117 persons employed in the EPZs, he added. He also said that BEPZA is marching ahead to build economically stronger Bangladesh and contributing a lot as a proud partner in implementing the Vision- 2021 of the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
BEPZA Executive Chairman said that 65% of the EPZs workers are female. BEPZA always tries to sustain a congenial working atmosphere giving the highest priority on workers’ rights, welfares & safety including medical and other compliances issues. He said that BEPZA believes in Workers-Management-Owners synergy. Investors of the EPZs take care of the workers including recreation and other matters under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Mentioning the workers representative by the direct vote of the workers he said that already 231 nos. of WWA have been formed which are acting as CBA for the workers.
General Habib congratulated Remi Holdings Limited for achieving LEED Platinum Certificate and said that BEPZA has another LEED Platinum Certified factory in Ishwardi EPZ. He hoped that construction of such kind of green factory will encourage other to make their factory green which will help the EPZs of Bangladesh to go green.
H.E. Ms. Marcia Bernicat, US Ambassador in Bangladesh said that Remi Holdings Limited is going on in perfect way. Observing the overall activities of this factory especially workplace safety, workers facilities, medical services, day care center and international standard green initiative she said that enterprises of EPZs are role model to others. He hoped that Bangladesh will certainly turn into a developed country very soon if all the factories of the country are run like this factory of EPZ.
Chairman of Remi Holdings Limited Miran Ali said that Remi Holdings Limited has achieved LEED Platinum Certificate with highest score. They have another factory in Comilla EPZ named Baridhi Garments Ltd. where almost 1700 employees are working. He said that they are eager to build more factories in the EPZs. But due to scarcity of land in EPZ we cannot establish more factories, he added.
After the inauguration session, Commerce Minister including US Ambassador and others went round the factory and talk to the workers directly. They visited the day care center and medical center of the factory.
Mentionable that, investors from 37 countries have invested US$ 4.02 billion in 8 EPZs running by BEPZA. Approximately 4,58,000 Bangladeshi nationals are producing world famous brand items. 461 operating industries exported goods worth US$ 53.22 billion till July 2016. In Adamjee EPZ, 47 industries are operating and 18 other under implementation stages. Investors from different countries have invested US$ 376.86 million and 48,000 Bangladeshi working in this EPZ.
Among others, Vice President of BGMEA, representatives of renowned Apparel Buyers, representatives from different Banks & Financial Institutions, GM of Adamjee EPZ Ashraful Kabir, GM (Public Relations) of BEPZA Nazma Binte Alamgir, DGM (Security & Intelligence) Major Sajjad Hossain Khan including high officials of BEPZA and Remi holdings were present in the program.
