The Netherlands government has taken an initiative to promote clean and responsible productions in Bangladesh’s textile mills and apparel industries. In this regard, Ben Knapen, minister for development cooperation of the Netherlands, signed a Memorandum of Under-standing on ‘Clean and responsible production mechanisms in the garment industry’ with several stakeholders such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Export Oriented Garment Washing Industries Owners’ Association, Dutch NGO Solidaridad and leading garment brands, namely AB Lindex, C&A, Carrefour, Espirit, G-STAR, H&M, Kappahl, Levi Strauss & Co, New Look Retailers Ltd, Primark, Tesco and WE Europe.
The MoU was signed at the Westin Hotel in the city on Tuesday. Ben Knapen said textile sector of Bangladesh plays a vital role in the national economy.
Contaminated water, produced by the garment plants has a direct impact on the poor people and that it decreases productivity, the Netherlands minister said.
“The MoU will introduce cleaner production practices in the textile sector,” Ben added.
Through this programme, he said the garment industry will also be benefited by cost savings and improvement in occupational heath. This combines efforts will help in ensuring productivity, economic development and health safety of both factory workers and others, he pointed out.
Jeeva A Perumalpillai, regional business line manager for IFC advisory services in Soth-Asia said this is the largest clean production programme of IFC in the South-Asia.
Under the agreement, the contract signees will provide approximately US$ 6.5 million dollar to carry out a pilot project in the next three years.