30 firms awarded for green initiatives
The labour ministry presented the "Green Factory Award" to 30 firms in six categories yesterday for their outstanding contribution in saving the environment and employment creation.
Begum Monnujan Sufian, state minister for labour and employment, handed over the awards at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the event virtually.
The recipients include 15 garment factories, three food processing companies, four tea estates, two leather goods industries, three plastic factories and three pharmaceutical factories.
Sufian said the award was introduced to inspire local industries to be more competitive in global business and the ministry would give this award every year.
The state minister also said the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments has created 31 health guidelines to operate factories during the Covid-19 time.
Some 23 central and zonal crisis management committees have worked during the most severe phases of the pandemic to help attain sustainable environments, she said.
Bangladesh is already a role model in workplace safety because of its green factories as the factory managements have ensured decent and safe workplaces, Sufian also said.
Bangladesh is the global leader having 152 green garment buildings, of which 44 are platinum rated, 93 gold and nine silver while four gained a "Leadership in Environmental and Energy in Design" certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Of the top 10 green garment factories, nine are in Bangladesh. More than 500 garment factories are waiting to be certified by the USGBC for green initiatives.
The awarded garment factories are Remi Holdings, Tarashima Apparels, Plummy Fashions, Mithila Textiles Industries, Vintage Denim Studio, AR Jeans Producer, Karooni Knit Composite, Designer Fashion, Kenpark Bangladesh Apparel (Kenpark Unit 2), Green Textile (Unit -3), Four H Dyeing and Printing, Wisdom Attires, Mahmuda Attires, Snowtex Outwear and Auko -Tex.
The food processors are Habiganj Agro, Akij Food and Beverage and Ifad Multi Products.
The tea gardens are Gazipur Tea Garden, Laskarpur Tea Garden, Jagchhara Tea Garden and Neptune Tea Garden.
The leather goods factories are Apex Footwear and Edison Footwear.
The plastic industries are Bongo Building Materials, All Plast Bangladesh and Durable Plastic.
The pharmaceutical companies are Square Pharmaceuticals, Beximco Pharmaceuticals and Incepta Pharmaceuticals.