BGMEA to launch 'service book' from August this year
Mahmuda Shaolin | Sunday, 13 July 2008
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will introduce a 'service book' among its member units to document detail information of the apparel workers for ensuring their legal rights.
"We'll launch the service book from August this year with an aim to keep record of all the workers including their social and employment conditions in detail," BGMEA President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) told the FE.
"Our main objective of introducing the book is to ensure transparency in the sector by collecting appropriate information that will enable the workers to establish their legal rights on controversial issues, if any," he added.
"The book will have five sections. The first section will contain the basic information about a worker's identification including family details, the second section will have a record about the worker's service details including the factory and employer, dates of his or her joining or leaving the job and the reasons. The third section will deal with records about a worker's wage and other facilities including house rent, bonus and provident fund. The fourth section will contain information about a worker's leave position and the fifth section will have information about a worker's general behaviour while on duty," said the BGMEA chief.
According to the BGMEA, each worker will be given an identification number and a software will be developed in the near future with all the records of the workers.
The worker's will be provided with an identity document and the service book will help his or her to negotiate with his employers about their legal rights, including wages.
"Some 2.0 million skilled and semi-skilled workers are now employed in apparel sector and we hope this service book will help bring discipline in the apparel sector," Mr. Parvez pointed out.
From the proposed database, the BGMEA will easily be able to pinpoint the compliance standard of a unit and take necessary action for further improvement.
"We'll launch the service book from August this year with an aim to keep record of all the workers including their social and employment conditions in detail," BGMEA President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) told the FE.
"Our main objective of introducing the book is to ensure transparency in the sector by collecting appropriate information that will enable the workers to establish their legal rights on controversial issues, if any," he added.
"The book will have five sections. The first section will contain the basic information about a worker's identification including family details, the second section will have a record about the worker's service details including the factory and employer, dates of his or her joining or leaving the job and the reasons. The third section will deal with records about a worker's wage and other facilities including house rent, bonus and provident fund. The fourth section will contain information about a worker's leave position and the fifth section will have information about a worker's general behaviour while on duty," said the BGMEA chief.
According to the BGMEA, each worker will be given an identification number and a software will be developed in the near future with all the records of the workers.
The worker's will be provided with an identity document and the service book will help his or her to negotiate with his employers about their legal rights, including wages.
"Some 2.0 million skilled and semi-skilled workers are now employed in apparel sector and we hope this service book will help bring discipline in the apparel sector," Mr. Parvez pointed out.
From the proposed database, the BGMEA will easily be able to pinpoint the compliance standard of a unit and take necessary action for further improvement.