Acknowledging the progress made in Bangladesh’s RMG industry, a visiting parliamentary delegation from Germany on Saturday said they, as parliamentarians, cannot force the buyers and brands to pay more but they can talk about it.
“We cannot force someone to do so. Because, there is also a competition. There are also other countries producing (apparels). I think the industry in Bangladesh should be self-confident to say to them - you are big buyers for our country, you need these clothes, so pay us in a fair way,” Renate Kunast, the Chairperson of the German-South Asian Parliamentary Group and a former German Minister, told a small group of reporters.
She said it could make sense that Bangladesh industry here is making their efforts and could very well use an information campaign.
The parliamentarian laid emphasis on sharing information on eradication of child labour, protection, safety and wages that answer everything.
She preferred just sharing “pure information to everyone” and that could make sense.
The visiting parliamentary delegation from Germany appreciated Bangladesh’s rapid socio-economic development and outstanding achievements in occupational safety and working conditions in the RMG industry over the years.
While acknowledging the German side offered support on a greener transition of the Bangladesh economy through greener industrial transformation, particularly in the RMG industry.
Responding to a question on the Rohingya crisis, she said, “We understood very well what is happening there (Myanmar). Nobody knows when they can get back safely.”
She said it is not possible to transport over a million people from one place to another but laid emphasis on their education. “They (Rohingya children) should get education. Children must have a chance as long as they are there (in camps).”
The delegation leader also said they are learning from the history in their own country in terms of free election and its importance.
The delegation of six German parliament members is paying an official visit to Bangladesh from February 22 to 26 to “foster the strong ties” between the two nations further. The delegation members are scheduled to leave Dhaka on Sunday.
Earlier, the delegation led by Renate Kunast met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam at Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy, Dhaka.
The two sides exchanged views on an arrangement of other bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest and concerns, including repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar, war in Ukraine and its fallouts on global food and energy supply chains, global cooperation on climate change, etc.
At the meeting, the State Minister recalled the valuable moral and diplomatic support that the government and the people of Germany extended during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation in 1971 and the post-war reconstruction process.
Terming Germany as a trusted development partner of Bangladesh, he also appreciated the development cooperation of Germany to Bangladesh in different areas, including primary and vocational education, private sector development, energy efficiency and climate change, etc.
The other members of German Parliamentary delegation included Andreas Larem, MP (Social Democratic Party), Paul Lehrieder, MP (Christian Democratic Union /Christian Social Union Party), Ria Schröder, MP (Free Democratic Party), Malte Kaufmann, MP (Alternative for Germany Party), and Dr. André Hahn, MP (The Left Party).
Ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh Achim Troster and Director General (West Europe & EU) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kazi Russel Pervez also joined the meeting.
The delegation, accompanied by German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Troster, also met Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
The "fruitful meeting" covered a wide range of bilateral issues, including cooperation and climate change.
The delegation members had an insightful exchange with representatives of Bangladesh NGOs on their respective fields of activities on Friday.
An "active and unobstructed civil society" is an essential element of democracies, said the German Embassy in Dhaka.
Ambassador Troster hosted some of the eminent pillars of their bilateral cooperation in his residence to welcome the six-party delegation of the Federal Parliament to Dhaka.
During the visit, the delegation met with representatives of the legislative and executive organs of Bangladesh as well as a variety of members of civil society and business circles.
They discussed with their Bangladeshi counterparts various issues of mutual concern, including the deepening of the 50-year-long bilateral relations, politics, climate change, human rights, trade, migration, development cooperation and women empowerment.
Source: United News of Bangladesh