A multi-stakeholder dialogue held in Gazipur on Tuesday underscored the need for a comprehensive approach to Bangladesh’s apparel sector transition toward renewable energy, automation, and green production. The event, organized by the National Alliance for Just Transition Bangladesh (NAJTB), Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF), Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), brought together government officials, industry leaders, and labour representatives to discuss policies that balance environmental goals with workers’ rights and skills development.
Bangladesh’s garment industry, which employs approximately 4 million workers and accounts for over 10 percent of the national GDP, faces significant challenges amid rapid technological and environmental shifts. Amer Salim, chairman of the BGMEA Standing Committee on Just Transition, highlighted the sector’s need to prepare workers for evolving labor market demands through reskilling and the adoption of intelligent factory systems. He emphasized that these measures are necessary to maintain global competitiveness in a changing industrial landscape.
Speakers repeatedly stressed that automation and the adoption of new technologies should not result in job losses without adequate institutional support. Gazipur Additional Deputy Commissioner Tania Tabassum urged factory owners and trade associations to implement structured training programs when introducing technological upgrades. She also called for government incentives, including reduced import tariffs on renewable energy equipment, to encourage investment in sustainable infrastructure.
Trade union leader Noimul Ahsan Juwel proposed establishing a dedicated “RMG Just Transition Fund” financed by industry stakeholders, buyers, and international partners. This fund would offer displaced workers at least a three-month stipend coupled with targeted reskilling opportunities. Juwel further recommended formalizing the large informal workforce to enhance job security during the transition.
Echoing these concerns, Pablo Neruda, Deputy Programme Manager at MJF, emphasized the responsibility of factory owners to provide retraining for employees affected by automation-induced workforce reductions. He underlined that reskilling is essential to align the workforce with emerging technological requirements.
Environmental considerations were also a key topic. Asaduzzaman, assistant inspector general (health) at the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, encouraged factories to reduce reliance on non-renewable fuels through measures such as rooftop solar installations and energy conservation initiatives. NAJTB Chief Coordinator Anowar Hossen added that integrating modern training and green standards across industrial hubs is critical to ensuring that economic growth protects workers’ dignity, safety, and well-being.
The dialogue included contributions from Sherena Akter, deputy director at the Department of Women Affairs in Gazipur, and Fahad Bin Siddique, senior research officer at BLAST, among other stakeholders and trade union leaders. Collectively, participants called for a just and inclusive transition strategy that safeguards workers while advancing Bangladesh’s commitment to sustainable production in the apparel sector.