People involved in the garment industries stressed the importance of the existing labour laws to resolve various problems in the sector including health and safe work environment, reports BDNews.

Leaders of the BGMEA, BKMEA, trade unions, workers, human rights activists and researchers expressed this view at a citizen's dialogue titled "Safety and Work Environment of Industry Workers: Don't We have Anything to Do?"
The dialogue was organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) at the Cirdap Auditorium on Monday.

Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) former president Annisul Huq, Knitwear Association president Fazlul Haq, Terri-towel Exporter Association president Annisuzzaman, deputy director of labor ministry Kabir Ahmed Chowdhury Prof Nasrin Khandoker, Workers' leader Jafrul Islam, Oajedul Islam, Nirapotta Forum leader Masuda Shefali, Joint secretary of Commerce Ministry Golam Hossain, Dhaka Chamber president Abul Momen, Garment Worker Nazma Akhter, leader of the Karmojibi Nari Sirin Akhter spoke on the occasion with CPD chairman Rehman Sobhan in the chair.

CPD executive director Debapriya Bhattacharya moderated the dialogue.
Speakers at the dialogue suggested a set of proposals to resolve the crisis presently the industry is facing including safe working environment, health, compensation for the workers injured in accidents, identity card (ID), appointment letters, alternative staircase and labour laws.

They stressed the need for a collective monitoring cell comprising representatives from workers, owners, human rights organisations and government.

Debapriya Bhattacharya said, "We have highlighted different problems of the industry in the interest of garment industry and also for protection of its image. Due to this hesitation a suicidal situation has been cropped up in the sector, he added.

Referring to the experience of the past 10 years he said the workers had received only five percent while the owners eight percent out of total textile export earning.
Being in complete agreement with various complaints Anisul Haq said we have already marked 53 risky garment fatories but 16 thousand workers would lose their jobs for the time being in relocation process.

Nazma Akhter said workers of this sector have hardly seen any development due to the double standard of the garment owners, trade union leaders and policy makers.
Nasrin Khandaker proposed to form a commission not only for the garment sector but also for other industries.

Kabir Ahmed said there are 49 labour laws in the country. New laws are under the process by merging 27 laws. There is hardly any implementation of the labour laws in the country that gave rise to other problems.