BGMEA, BracU to create digital repository of RMG workers
To this end, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has joined hands with Brac University (BracU), one of the country's leading private universities, to develop a digital database of RMG workers.
To this end, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday at the BGMEA office in Dhaka, with BGMEA President Faruque Hassan and Brac University Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Vincent Chang present at the signing, said a press release.
The digital repository can be utilised to design significant interventions and to formulate policies for the wellbeing of workers, contributing to Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021, it added.
Addressing the programme, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said "We believe the MoU signing reflects the commitment of BGMEA to a sustainable RMG industry in Bangladesh and BGMEA's vision of a healthy industrial ecosystem."
"The digital repository on RMG workers will help clarify misconceptions about the industry with empirical evidence," he added.
"Brac University is delighted to be a part of such industry-academia partnerships and can play a vital role in bringing research integrity through this collaboration," Brac University VC Professor Vincent Chang said.
BGMEA and BracU have collaborated on this project to make an accurate, complete, and credible database of the entire workforce of the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector to ensure sustainable growth of the labor-intensive industry.
Professor Dr Rahim B Talukdar, Adviser, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED), BracU, remarked that "Through this digital repository, there will be knowledge and technology transfer between parties involved in the project."
Following the new collaboration, both BGMEA and BracU expect to have the support of all stakeholders to make this project a success.
CED-BracU is already implementing a 'Mapped in Bangladesh' (MiB) project, a factory census-based digital mapping of all export-oriented RMG factories in Bangladesh with the aim of enabling transparency and accountability in Bangladesh's export oriented RMG sector.
The MoU for the MiB project of BGMEA and CED-BracU done in 2016, was also extended at the same event.