20,000 raincoats for tea workers
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday urged greater private-sector engagement in humanitarian and social initiatives as he launched a programme to distribute 20,000 raincoats among tea garden workers in Sylhet division.
He has called for greater private-sector participation in humanitarian and social initiatives, saying collective efforts can help address major challenges facing society.
“As members of society, if everyone comes forward and contributes in their own way, many major problems can be solved,” he said while launching the distribution programme at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Secretariat.
The Prime Minister formally handed over raincoats to 10 tea workers and enquired about their wellbeing before exchanging views with them, according to a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing.
The initiative, taken by the Social Welfare Ministry, aims to protect tea garden workers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj from adverse weather and contribute to a safer working environment.
A total of 20,000 raincoats will be distributed under the programme.
The Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) will provide 10,000 raincoats, while Chevron Bangladesh and Pandughar Group will each provide 5,000 under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Tarique assured private-sector organisations that the government would support humanitarian and social initiatives.
“The government would stand beside those willing to undertake such work and provide necessary assistance,” he said.
Representatives of the participating organisations said contributing to the welfare of disadvantaged and working people was part of their social responsibility alongside their business activities.
They also expressed interest in continuing similar initiatives in coordination with the government to improve the living and working conditions of tea workers and other marginalised communities.
The participating tea workers expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the government and the organisations providing the raincoats.
Santuki Roy of Majdihi Tea Garden presented the Prime Minister with tea leaves on behalf of the workers.
Among the tea workers present were Shanti Uriya of Kalighat Tea Garden, Munni Kurmi of Makrichhara Tea Garden, Jyotsna Akter of Bharawra Tea Garden, Rina Tanti and Sashika Banerjee of Rajghat Tea Garden, Santuki Roy of Majdihi Tea Garden, Kabita Karmakar of Phulbari Tea Garden, Sujata Biswas of Madhabpur Tea Garden, Rita Rani Bauri of Uttar Alinagar and Afkhatun Nahar of Patrakhola Tea Garden.
Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin were present.
Lawmakers Imran Ahmad Choudhury, Nasir Uddin Mithu, Md Shawkatul Islam, M Naser Rahman, Haji Mujibur Rahman Choudhury, Md GK Gaus and SM Faisal also attended the programme.
Private-sector representatives included BAPI Senior Vice-President and Unimed and Unihealth Managing Director Mosaddek Hossain, BAPI Adviser and Square Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Tapan Chowdhury, BAPI Executive Committee Member and SKF Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Miz Simin Rahman, BAPI Executive Director Md Saiful Islam, Chevron Bangladesh Director for Corporate Affairs Md Imrul Kabir, Director of Operations Ashiq Shehzad Rahman, Head of Community Engagement AKM Arif Akhtar, and Pandughar Group Chief of People and Corporate Affairs Golam Habib.
