To its credit, Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry has many outstanding features like its socio-economic contribution, product sophistication, transition to green manufacturing etc, which are more or less known to all. However, some small, well-meaning initiatives are not generally known, which have brought about a major difference in the lives of tens of thousands of employees and greatly benefitted the industry.
Establishing a Child Care Center and Breastfeeding Corner on the factory premises is one of such praiseworthy Initiatives that can be held up as a sublime example of excellent employer-employee relations.
Female employees are at the heart of apparel manufacturing and therefore, factories are going that extra mile to ensure that working mothers are happy, don’t drop out of work or have to struggle with childcare This brings a great sigh of relief to female employees in the RMG sector who may not have anyone at home to look after their children.
It also provides them with the independence at work and the opportunity to continue working and provide for their offspring. They have peace of mind in the workplace, knowing that their children are well taken care of and they can visit them just a few hundred yards away.
Manned by highly trained caregivers, these brightly decorated, well-maintained and hygienic facilities are run adhering to proper routines for playing, eating, sleeping etc. Children are also taught the alphabet and nursery rhymes. In this way, they are growing up in a healthy atmosphere, while thanks to the breastfeeding corners, babies receive the nutrition they need in comfort and privacy.
The initiative culminates and cascades in the happiness of mother, child and employer and the growth of the industry that adds immeasurable strength to the economy
Source: BGMEA
