The parties recalled that the Compact (Geneva, July 2013) and the last Follow-up Meeting (Brussels, October 2014) serve as a set of mutually agreed concrete commitments by its Partners aimed at securing respect for labour rights, occupational safety and health and promoting responsible business conduct in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment and knitwear (RMG) sector.

The Compact Partners had elaborate discussions on the progress of implementation of the Compact. They recognized important progress that has been made since adoption of the Compact and the last Follow-up Meeting. They further recognised the need to maintain momentum on progress in all of its pillars and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring implementation of the outstanding commitments of the Compact involving all stakeholders, both in public and private sectors. They affirmed to work collectively to carry forward the lessons learnt towards improvement of working conditions and worker's rights in the export-oriented RMG sector in similar conditions elsewhere.

The Compact partners recognized further progress made by Bangladesh since the last Follow-up Meeting towards meaningful and sustainable changes in the RMG industry in Bangladesh inter alia recent promulgation of implementing Rules under the Bangladesh Labour Act; the near-completion of initial safety audits by the Government of hundreds of RMG factories; the formal launch of the Better Work Bangladesh programme with ILO/IFC; and the continuation of efforts to improve the capacity of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department (DFSCD) and the capital development authority (RAJUK), including through increase in staff and budgetary allocation. They also took note of a detailed Update provided by Bangladesh, titled “Update by Bangladesh – Progress in Implementation on Outcome of the Review Meeting of the Sustainability Compact, as on 11 January 2016” available at www.mincom.gov.bd  .

Recalling the outcome document of the last Follow-up Meeting, the Partners focused on the development of concrete steps forward in certain priority areas. In that context, they recognised the need to:

-  ensure that trade union registration process is carried out as a smooth and expeditious formality, in accordance with objective and transparent criteria;

-  upgrade the (Bangladesh) Directorate of Labour with additional staff and resources to effectively investigate and prosecute unfair labour practices in a timely and transparent manner and to promote harmonious industrial relations;

-  adopt the necessary legislative changes to the legal framework applicable in the EPZs to protect freedom of association and collective bargaining rights and to ensure that such rights are commensurate with those provided in the national Labour Law, involving all stakeholders and the ILO.

-  ensure the effective implementation of the Bangladesh Labour Act and its Rules, in line with the relevant ILO Conventions, including with regard to Participation Committees and Safety Committees;

-  complete recruitment of inspectors and to ensure effective inspections in all of the country’s active export-oriented RMG factories, including their subcontracting factories, so that all RMG workers in Bangladesh are afforded a safe working environment;