The head of the International Labour Organisation in Bangladesh has praised the worker welfare programmes and management standards at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone.
Max Tunon, the country director for the UN agency, visited the industrial hub on Wednesday to inspect safety measures and rights initiatives introduced by the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority.
Following his tour, the country director expressed strong confidence that the long-term partnership between the global labour body and local authorities would continue to grow.
The visiting delegation, which included social protection specialists Saad Gilani and Tanjilut Tasnuba, was received by the executive chairman of the authority, Major General Mohammad Moazzem Hossain.
During the visit, zone officials briefed the guests on the legal protections in place for factory staff. These included details on the Bangladesh EPZ Labour Act 2019, health and safety rules, and corporate social responsibility schemes.
An executive director at the authority, Md. Khorshid Alam, outlined how the organisation ensures that export factories stick to ethical business practices and treat employees fairly.
The delegation also spoke directly with members of local workers' welfare associations. These discussions focused on how disputes are resolved, the general quality of working environments, and the role of dialogue in keeping industrial relations peaceful.
Worker representatives shared their views on day-to-day life inside the factories, describing a supportive and cooperative environment across the zone’s businesses.
To mark the occasion, Max Tunon joined factory employees to plant an olive sapling on the grounds of the zone's head office.
The UN team concluded their visit by touring the manufacturing facilities of YKK Bangladesh and Shanta Industries. During the factory tours, they inspected on-site childcare centres and spoke with managers and floor staff to observe daily operations first-hand.
