Mustanzid Hasan Murad
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has set up two corona identification labs for Gazipur and Savar regions. These two corona identification labs can test 400 people a day. These labs are just for testing the corona of garment workers. Two Covid-19 identification labs were inaugurated by BGMEA on Thursday (June 4). BGMEA will be responsible for the health protection of the workers in the garment sector along with the owners. One lab will be set up in Chittagong and Narayanganj soon. A total of four labs will be set up in Dhaka and Chittagong, said Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, former president of BGMEA. They will also set up a separate isolation centre for women workers. Garment workers are at risk of infection as it is a labor-intensive industry. Meanwhile, In Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj some workers have been identified in corona. BGMEA wants to test as many workers as possible to reduce the risk.
The labs were inaugurated on Thursday (June 4) via video conference. BGMEA President Dr. Rubana Haque presided over the function. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Malek, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Labor and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian, President of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) Prof. Dr A. K. Azad Khan, Matin Chowdhury, former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Sheikh Fazle Fahim, president of FBCCI, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, MP, former president-BGMEA and Salam Murshedy were present in the video conference.
In response to questions from journalists, the president of the organization Dr. Rubana Haque said more factory workers feared being hit by the corona. But the poor have more endurance and awareness than us. As a result, 274 garment workers were affected by the corona till Wednesday night. All of them have been treated. The owner is bearing all the expenses of the treatment.
The BGMEA president said the garment sector in Corona would suffer a loss of TK 42,000 crore. She added that the export income from the garment sector will be 23 billion this year. She also said that 26 per cent of the 3.11 billion suspended orders in Corona was returned. In dealing with corona, people are now paying more attention to health than buying clothes. As a result, 55 per cent of orders are declining. The United States has withdrawn 55 per cent of its investment from China. On the other hand, they withdrew 2 per cent from Bangladesh. Many will lose their jobs due to corona in the garment sector.