Rights groups have urged the government to implement a work plan regarding social compliance of tannery industries to facilitate the leather sector's greater market access to developed countries.
They said timely execution of the plan would open the door to tanneries to obtain certificates of the Leather Working Group (LWG), a global multi-stakeholder community.
Without getting LWG certificates, no country can export leather to Europe, the US and some other countries.
The speakers came up with their suggestions at a view-exchange meeting in Dhaka city on Saturday.
Labour and employment ministry approved the two-year work plan on 21 April 2022 and directed the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments to execute it.
The meeting was held with the participation of the Bangladesh Labour Rights Journalists Forum (BLRJF) and the Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF).
Once getting LWG certificates, the country's leather will start to ship to Europe and other countries that will improve the tannery sector and boost the economy.
BLF president Abdus Salam Khan chaired the event where BLF secretary general ZM Kamrul Anam, BLRJF president Kazi Abdul Hannan and general secretary Ataur Rahman, among others, spoke.
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