Staff Reporter: Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) today inked an agreement with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on a two-year action plan for harmonising legislation and amending certain internal processes within the EPZs.

In presence of Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman and ILO Country Director for Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides at a function at the BEPZA complex in the city.

In his speech, Lutfey Siddiqi expressed his satisfaction on the action plan saying, “It is time bound, constructive, celebrative, and it has designed the feature which we can start as a pilot and then we can expand.”

Ziaur Rahman said this ‘Two Year Action Plan’ includes reformation of the EPZ Labour law in line with international labour standards, Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) to facilitate the ethical business practices in the supply chain, the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) and capacity building of BEPZA Officials for more effective Labour Administration and Inspection.

Moreover, he said, BEPZA and ILO will collaborate on exploring possibilities of advancing skills of workers.

This initiative will play an important role in improving labour standards in Bangladesh by ensuring basic rights and social security of the workers in the zones and creating a safe and secure working environment, he added.

He said this initiative will also increase the confidence of international buyers and investors, which will further strengthen the country's export and industrial capacity as well as improve the safety, healthcare and social protection system of workers.

It will be helpful in building a sustainable industrial sector and economic growth of the country, he added.

He said BEPZA aims to become a significant contributor for the economic development of Bangladesh by strengthening the economic base through industrialization, promotion of investment, boost up export and generation of employment.

Over the years, Ziaur Rahman said, BEPZA’s growth has been very significant and created a model for others to follow.

He, however, mentioned that BEPZA has been playing a pivotal role in ensuring workers' rights, workplace safety and social protection. EPZ workers receive 30-40% more benefits compared to non-EPZ workers, he added.

“Not only that, EPZ workers get free medical treatment and medicine from BEPZA-run Hospital. Their children get subsidized tuition fees in EPZ schools and colleges. In addition, they also enjoy day care and food facilities,” he added.

He said skill development training and awareness programmes are regularly being arranged.

All social compliance, environmental compliance, fire safety and security and building safety are being properly supervised and monitored by BEPZA with utmost priority, he added.

Consequently, he said, harmonious labor-management relationship, congenial working atmosphere, and pollution free production environment are prevailing in the zones.

“However, as we approach towards graduation from LDC, we must comply with the requirements of international standards, improved social protection for the workers for our own sake, to take the country forward. BEPZA looks forward to working with all relevant stakeholders to implement this initiative effectively,” he added.

Through the action plan, Tuomo Poutiainen said, “We are working on the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA), and we are also collaborating with BEPZA and the relevant government agencies to maintain and advance the reform process and ensure alignment."

This action plan will help fast-track or push forward the reforms that have been discussed for quite some time, he added.

Poutiainen said Bangladesh needs to invest in higher-skilled migration and regular migration practices in contrast to low-skilled, irregular, or vulnerable labour migration, which is associated with issues such as unfair recruitment practices, lack of transparency, high costs, and insufficient protection for migrant workers.

"Bangladesh should develop mechanisms to enable workers to migrate at a higher skill level," he added.

Stressing proper training, he said that recruitment processes should also be transparent and affordable.

"It is crucial that migrants have clear and accurate information at every step of the migration process," he added.

Migrants must give free and informed consent and be assured of employment before departure, he said while explaining the ILO's activities during his decade-long tenure here in Bangladesh.

Once employed, the ILO country director said migrants should have the ability to discuss their working conditions and experience positive migration outcomes.

"Bilateral agreements with destination countries are essential to ensuring a protected and beneficial migration experience," he added.

He also talked about the progress in Bangladesh so far, especially in the garment sector and the need to expand the safety programmes in other non-RMG sectors.