Germany and the European Union have provided Bangladesh an amount of around Taka 1,145 crore to help workers in the export-oriented industries hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grant of €113 million is for welfare programme – Bangladesh’s new social protection programme – under which workers in the garment, leather and footwear industries who are hit by job losses and pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic, will be given cash aid of Taka 3,000 taka/month for 3 months initially.
The programme for unemployed and distressed workers responds to an immediate need to protect livelihoods by providing income support to workers in key export sectors who lost their jobs, reportedly underlined Rensje Teerink, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh while German Ambassador Peter Fahrenholtz on his part underlining that Germany’s contribution is part of its longstanding cooperation to support the workers in the textile industry in Bangladesh, said, “During these difficult times, we are glad to join forces with the EU to help the Government of Bangladesh to mitigate the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the livelihoods of textile workers.”
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, an official from the Department of Labour reportedly maintained that this financial support is the first phase of the social safety programme and the Government reportedly has plans to continue this programme with other development partners and its own funding even as union leaders reportedly criticised the Government for billing the programme as part of a social safety net and called for long-term state policies to protect the workers.
