State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian directed the labour inspectors to ensure setting up of day-care centers and breastfeeding-corners in every factories. “As per Bangladesh Labor law, setting up day-care center and breastfeeding corner is a must in a factory which employs more than 40 female workers”, Monnujan said this on Tuesday while addressing as the chief guest at the orientation programme of Labor Inspectors, said a press release. She said it will be a loss for readymade industries if skilled labors leave work because of the lack of day-care facility.
Mentioning the contribution of garment industry in the country’s ongoing economic development, she said that, “The government has set a target of exporting ready-made garments worth 50 billion dollars by 2022 and is determined to ensure worker-friendly environment in the factories”.
She said that there is no alternative to building efficient workforces in making the country’s economy self sufficient.
The programme was informed that a total of 4,907 factories across the country have established day-care centers and breastfeeding corners for its female workers, said the release.
The orientation programme titled ‘Mothers at Work’ was jointly organized by the Labor and Employment Ministry and the UNICEF. The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has undertaken a number of initiatives to protect maternal welfare. The programme was presided over by Shibnath Roy, Inspector General of DIFE. Secretary of Labor Ministry KM Ali Azam, Additional Secretary Dr Mollah Jalal Uddin and Country Director of UNICEF Bangladesh Tomoo Hozumi also spoke among others, at the programme.
