Fair-price shops to be set up at RMG factories

Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) would set up shops at RMG factories to sell goods at fair prices to the workers amid the rising prices of essentials.      

About 80,000 people (20,000 female workers and 60,000 family members) are expected to be benefited from the initiative, a release said.

This was disclosed on Tuesday at a kick-off meeting titled 'RMG Workers' Access to Affordable Nutritious and Safe Food' at a hotel at Gulshan in the capital.

The project aims to ensure access to nutritious foods for RMG workers at affordable prices and strengthen food marketing management.

GAIN, a Switzerland-based international development organisation, organised the meeting with participation of the stakeholders to chalk out a future strategy on technical assistance and how to make the initiative successful.

Several shops have so far been set up at two factories at Ashulia and Gazipur with support of GAIN, from which about 15,000 RMG workers and their family members are entitled to buy essentials.

Labour Secretary Mohammad Ehsan-E-Elahi attended the event as the chief guest.

Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN Bangladesh, delivered the welcome address, while GM Reza Sumon, manager of Workforce Nutrition project of GAIN Bangladesh, presented the keynote paper.

Chaired by Rudaba Khondker, country director of GAIN Bangladesh, Hasan Shariar Kabir, director general of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council, Faruque Hassan, president of BGMEA, spoke at the event, among others.

Mohammad Ehsan-E-Elahi called for the expansion of such facilities to other factories across the country.

Speakers said it is imperative to prioritise the issue of safe and nutritious foods for the workers to implement the government's Perspective Plan 2021-2041 and achieve SDGs.

They called upon those involved in the production, processing, supply, and marketing of foods to establish fair-price shops with nutritious foods in factory areas along with encouraging the workers to take these foods.