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Published on April 2, 2014
Alan Duncan said this while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Sangsad Bhaban office here this evening.
PM special assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters after the meeting.
Expressing his government's keen interest to work with the present government in Bangladesh, the British minister said, his government is especially interested to provide support to education and health sector.
"The British government wants a better working atmosphere in the garments sector and security of the garment workers, " Duncan said adding that his government is ready to provide support in this sector.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, her politics is for welfare of the working class and toiling masses including the garment workers. "So I always try to do something for them out of that compulsion," she said.
She also highlighted the steps taken for welfare of the garment workers including hiking of their minimum wages, which were increased by 229 percent over the last five years.
About her government\'s stride to improve the working environment in the garment sector, Sheikh Hasina said, the government has already
created post for inspectors and their appointment process is going on.
She said the government has amended the labour law making it more befitting to ther workers\' interests. A cabinet committee has been constituted to monitor the working environment of the garment factories.
In this regard, the Prime Minister urged the western buyers to pay more for readymade garments saying the garment workers can get better wages if the buyers give higher prices for their produces.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also referred to the programmes taken by her government for women education and their employment. Sixty percent of primary school teachers are women, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said, her government has made the education free for females up to the degree level apart from giving scholarship and support from PM\'s education assistance fund.
Duncan gave a patient hearing to the Prime Minister and extended an invitation to her to attend the summit on prevention of sexual harassment in June this year in London. The Prime Minister said she would try to join the summit.
Ambassador at large M Ziauddin, and PMO secretary Abul Kalam Azad were present, among others. Later, visiting Indian power secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha called on the Prime Minister at her Sangsad Bhaban office. The discussed ways of strengthening cooperation in power sector between Bangladesh and India.
Cooperation in the power sector among the neighbouring countries including Nepal and Bhutan also came up for discussion.
Power secretary Monwar Islam was also present at that time.
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