Health and compliances key to RMG productivity: Experts

Business Report :

Industry leaders, policymakers, and development partners on Sunday underscored that the health and wellness as well as compliances of country’s ready-made garment (RMG) workforce must become a core element of the industry’s productivity.

The dialogue, titled Fostering the Health and Wellness of the RMG Workforce, focused on how wellbeing directly impacts productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability of the sector that contributes 6 per cent of the country’s GDP, generates over 80 percent of export earnings, and employs around 4 million people including 65 per cent of them women.

The event was organised by AYAT Education in partnership with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Integral Global (IG), JCM Foundation, and several leading factories, and was held at a city hotel.

It highlighted how persistent health and wellness challenges have long undermined productivity despite the sector’s socio-economic contributions.

Over the past three years in six factories, the project ran health awareness campaigns for workers and managers, conducted workshops on wellness and hygiene, and organized four-day health camps with qualified doctors and nurses. It also launched Bangladesh’s first Digital Health Toolkit on BGMEA’s website, offering practical guidance on common illnesses, prevention, and treatment for garment workers.

The program featured welcome remarks by Nusrat Aman, CEO of AYAT Education, a short documentary The Journey of Health and Wellness, and Productivity, and presentations byJenna Buttolph of Integral Global and Mashed Abdullah of Dressmen Limited on the importance of RMG wellness initiatives.
The event also included a panel discussion moderated by Nusrat Aman, featuring Sharif Zahir of Ananta Group and United Commercial Bank PLC, Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj of The Asia Foundation, Ron Johnson of the ILO, and Dr. M. Masrur Reaz of Policy Exchange Bangladesh.
Dr. Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, attended as Chief Guest, reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting worker health and safety. BGMEA’s leadership pledged to extend the wellness model to all factories.
Emphasising integrated labour management, he said, “We are trying to introduce an integrated labour management system for the information of all workers which would help design plans and policies.”
Pointing to the shortcomings, he added, “We need collaborative approach to combat all sort of hazards because hazards affect the productivity.”
On compliance, he cautioned, “If we cannot ensure good compliances in the factories in which the government is working with BGMEA, it will affect the productivity. Workers’ health is very important for increasing productivity.”
He also touched on new ideas in digital teaching and up-skilling, noting the rapid pace of technological change.
In his remarks, BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Huq Khan described the RMG sector as “very special for the country’s economy as well as it generates huge employment especially jobs for women and it ultimately assist millions of families.”
“Learning from this model, we would introduce it in all factories for the wellbeing of the workers who are the main driving force for economy,” he said.
During the panel discussion, Dr. Masrur Reaz warned that Bangladesh still lags behind regional competitors. “We are still far behind in global rankings in infrastructure, logistic support, policy and productivity compared with India and Vietnam. We need joint collaboration with the government and BGMEA.”
He also noted that “the global trade system is changing rapidly and we have to take preparation for it,” stressing that “the health and wellness of the RMG workers especially women are very important for increasing productivity.”
Echoing similar concerns, Sharif Zahir said, “RMG sector is highly challenging now. So efficiency has to be improved. Workers’ wellbeing will contribute to productivity so we have to ensure improved work environment and wellness of the workers.”
The event closed with remarks by Tahsin Aman, Chairperson of AYAT Education and Vice-Chairperson of Aman Group of Companies, who reiterated the need for collaboration across industry leaders, policymakers, buyers, and development partners to institutionalize wellness initiatives.