The โ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ตโ was jointly organized today by Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) at FARS Hotel & Resort, Dhaka, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the future of Bangladeshโs leather sector.
The dialogue was attended by representatives from DIFE, the Department of Labour (DOL), Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), BSCIC, industry and business associations, workersโ organizations, academia, development partners, civil society, and leading tannery and leather businesses, including ILET-University of Dhaka, BFLLFEA, BTA, FLAXA, TWU, LDF, TAF, GIZ, the International Labour Organization (ILO), European Union in Bangladesh, Mondiaal FNV, OSHE Foundation, SRS, Solidarity Center, BUILD, and Practical Action.
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Advancing a Competitive, Safe, and Sustainable Leather Sector
The dialogue focused on identifying key challenges and opportunities for strengthening the leather sector, with particular attention to export competitiveness, leather quality and prices, environmental compliance, CETP challenges, LWG compliance, occupational safety and health (OSH), minimum wage implementation, job security, contractual employment, skills development, productivity, and stronger value-chain linkages.
Key Discussions
Strengthening the export competitiveness and international positioning of Bangladeshโs leather sector
Addressing environmental and CETP-related challenges and improving compliance with international standards
Promoting occupational safety and health, decent work, job security, and effective implementation of minimum wages
Improving skills, productivity, and value-chain linkages across the leather industry
Strengthening coordination among government, employers, workers, industry, academia, civil society, and development partners
Developing a coordinated and time-bound action plan with stronger accountability to address the sectorโs key challenges
Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) emphasized the importance of continued multi-stakeholder collaboration to build a competitive, safe, sustainable, and model leather sector in Bangladesh. The dialogue also highlighted the proposal for regular quarterly discussions to monitor progress, address emerging challenges, and ensure sustained coordination among stakeholders towards advancing decent work, environmental sustainability, and international competitiveness in the leather sector.