BGMEA writes to US, EU envoys seeking assistance for vaccination
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has sent letters to the ambassadors of the United States of America and the European Union, requesting them to assist for rapid vaccination of readymade garment workers in Bangladesh.
The trade body also gave a letter to Shwapna Bhowmick, country manager of Marks and Spencer Bangladesh Regional Office, recently highlighting the matter.
In a letter to the US ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller, BGMEA says, "We seek your help and assistance in procuring vaccines for RMG workers and people of Bangladesh."
"With great appreciation and gratitude, we acknowledge the vaccines we have already received from the USA, but if any further excess vaccines can be granted/allocated to Bangladesh, it will help the RMG sector and Bangladesh tremendously, and save the life and livelihood of millions of people."
In the letter to Rensje Teerink, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, the trade body said, "The vaccination of our entire workforce is the only sustainable way we can keep the sector operating in a reliable manner. Towards this, we have already started a factory-wide vaccination program with the help of the local Government Health Services, and factory medical staff under BGMEA support."
The organisation said they have successfully vaccinated workers of several factories in Gazipur and Dhaka areas with spot registration based on national and factory ID cards.
"After seeing the success of these vaccination programs, we want to continue to vaccinate all factories under BGMEA, BKMEA as well as all the supporting businesses like accessory factories, Buyer's offices, Buyer's liaison offices and so forth," it said.
Due to the long duration of the pandemic and multiple waves of attacks, the RMG factories and Bangladesh Government are getting extremely strapped on resources related to Covid treatment of large numbers of infected patients, and maintaining the strict health and safety protocols for the factories, BGMEA said.
"To maintain maximum safety standards and to identify/isolate any suspected Covid-19 infected patient, Rapid Antigen Test Kits will also be extremely beneficial. So, any contribution from your side to BGMEA Covid-19 assistance fund as well as supply of Rapid Antigen Test kits will be highly appreciated," it said in the letter to Shwapna Bhowmick.
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