German federal foreign office state minister Niels Annen, who is currently on a three-day visit to Bangladesh, is all set to hold discussions with unions and buyers to reportedly call for sustainable and humane working conditions in the local textile industry.
Before leaving for Bangladesh on Wednesday, Annen reportedly confirmed the same.
It may be mentioned here that Germany is one of the most important consumers of clothing made in Bangladesh, and it is calling for humane standards of occupational health and safety and other labour rights for the millions.
The European Union’s most populous nation has recently wrestled the tag of biggest apparel importer from Bangladesh — which it once held during the July-November period of 2016-17 fiscal only to lose it to USA later — during the July-February period of the current fiscal year, 2017-18.
Export earnings from Germany in the July-February period of FY18 stood at US $ 3.92 billion which is US $ 23.22 million higher than earnings from the US (US $ 3.90 billion) in the period, as per data from the Export Promotion Bureau. This has come as the much-needed respite to the apparel exporters, reeling under the slow growth in US market, till Germany emerged to cover up for US and save the day for the Bangladeshi garment manufacturers.
Among other issues, the German Minister will also reportedly hold parleys pertaining to topics of foreign and regional affairs, with focus on the on-going Rohingya crisis.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
