Dhaka: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a civil society think tank, on Saturday said there has been some sort of improvement in the country’s RMG sector working environment after the Rana Plaza tragedy, but the progress is slow.

The CPD came up with its observation at a dialogue, titled ‘Re-emerging from the Rana Plaza Tragedy: An Account on the Third Anniversary’, at the city’s Brac Centre Inn.

In his keynote presentation, CPD additional research director Khondaker Golam Moazzem said a major challenge for improving the working environment in the RMG sector is the slow preparation of the market players and stakeholders.

He focused on remediation of RMG factories, freedom of association, changes in governance in the global apparel value chain and some of the unaddressed issues of Rana Plaza victims and their families.

Moazzem said the victims are still worried about some issues–missing workers, medical treatment of the injured workers, re-employment and financial support (compensation).

CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, who moderated the function, said a better coordinated and institutionalised approach needs to be taken by the government to expedite this development process so that the country can avoid incidents like the Rana Plaza one.

‘It’s a matter of regret that not a single case in connection with the Rana Plaza tragedy has been disposed of yet even after the three years of the incident,’ he said.

Presided over by CPD Chairman Rehman Sobhan, the dialogue was addressed, among others, by Md Israfil Alam MP, Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar, BGMEA Senior Vice President Faruque Hassan, Country Director of ILO Country Office for Bangladesh Srinivas B Reddy.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, French Ambassador Sophie AUBERT, Dutch Ambassador Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere, Swedish Ambassador Johan Frisell, Spanish Ambassador Luis Tejada Chacón, noted human rights activist Hameeda Hossain, and Barrister Sara Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

Garment worker leaders and development practitioners, among others, joined the function.

CPD Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman delivered the welcome address.