Female workers
Shamsul Ruble, South Dakota, USA
Thank you Atiq of DU for your opinion on our female garments workers. I would like to add my thinking on this issue from a global context as I agree with you. Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs is a very prominent economist of recent times as he is serving as the director of UN Millennium Project and Special Advisor for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. In his recent book "The End of Poverty; Economic Possibilities for Our Time" he has praised Bangladesh and its positive economic movement. In this book he has used our country as an example for other poor countries to come out and break out the extreme poverty circle. Mr. Sachs has been very pleased to refer to our garment industry. At the same time, he has clearly stated about the gender discrimination and sexual harassment of our female garments workers. Now you might be asking yourself, how this has got anything to do with the global impact? Mr. Sachs has been visiting many different countries and he has gained direct and indirect support from many world leaders on his mission to eliminate extreme poverty. Former US President Bill Clinton is one of his strongest supporters. As we all know that in western countries the real economic development is not only measured by GDP, GNP or Monetary value. The total economic growth and development is the combination of many things and human life value is one of them. Mr. Sachs emphasizes very strongly human resource development. Equal work opportunity and safe work environment are two critical and important elements of workforce development. It seems to me that our country has failed to develop a better workplace without discrimination and harassment for our female garment workers. So, as a Bangladeshi born world citizen like many others my request, prayer and hope are the same as Atiq's. The government, all political parties, policy makers, employers, intellectuals and all citizens; please take necessary steps to eliminate those miserable conditions in the garment industry to provide a better and safe workplace for our female workers.
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