VisionSpring and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand access to eye care services for garment workers across the country. The signing ceremony took place at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka.
Under the initiative, VisionSpring will conduct eye examinations for 50,000 workers in BGMEA-member factories over the next year. Workers diagnosed with refractive errors will receive free spectacles, whether they require power or reading glasses. If successful, the programme is expected to be scaled across the wider readymade garment (RMG) sector.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said the initiative holds significant value for worker health, safety and operational efficiency. He noted that healthy vision contributes to a safer and more productive workplace, adding that early detection can prevent major complications. He also said such subsidised interventions help reduce factory costs, improve worker well-being and productivity, and could eventually expand beyond the garment sector into rural communities.
VisionSpring Bangladesh Country Director Misha Mahjabeen highlighted the organisation’s growing impact on industrial workers. She said that nearly half a million workers have already been screened nationwide, with more than 30% requiring spectacles. She added that VisionSpring aims to extend its services to additional factories, praising BGMEA’s commitment to worker welfare.
The event was attended by BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Khan Bablu and board directors Nafis-ud-Dowla, Md. Hasib Uddin, Rumana Rashid, Samiha Azim and Md. Saif Ullah.
