GoTan Project ends with strong call for safety culture in Bangladesh’s tanneries

The closing ceremony of the “Good Working Conditions in Tanneries (GoTan)” project was held on Wednesday at a hotel in Dhaka city under the theme “From Risk to Responsibility: Towards Safety Culture in Bangladesh’s Tanneries".

Speaking as the chief guest, A S M Ashraful Islam, NDC, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said, “This event marks an important step towards building a safe and sustainable tannery sector in Bangladesh. The GoTan project has strengthened occupational safety and health (OSH) practices and institutional capacity. Moving forward, ensuring compliance, environmental responsibility, and collective action will be essential to enhance global competitiveness.”

Md. Matiur Rahman, Joint Inspector General of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and Project Director of GoTan, highlighted the significant progress achieved through the initiative. “The capacity of workers, employers, and relevant stakeholders has been strengthened. There is now increased awareness of and commitment to implementing labour laws and OSH standards. A positive shift in the mindset of factory owners is one of the project’s major achievements,” he stated.

Md Firoz Alam, Head of the GoTan Project, emphasised that the initiative went beyond a conventional project. “It represented a commitment to improving workers’ health, safety, and working conditions,” he said. He noted that, for the first time, a sector-specific inspection checklist for the tannery industry had been developed and efforts were made to effectively implement OSH management systems. “Our core focus was to foster a sustainable OSH culture in the tannery sector,” he added.

In his remarks as Chair, Arif Ahmed Khan, Additional Inspector General of DIFE, expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for successfully completing the project despite various challenges. He noted that the tannery sector holds significant potential and stressed the importance of collective efforts by employers, workers, and all concerned parties to drive its future growth.

Representing workers, Abul Kalam Azad, President of the Tannery Workers Union, highlighted ongoing challenges in the sector. “Although tanneries were relocated from Hazaribagh to Hemayetpur in 2017, the expected improvements in environmental conditions and overall business development have not been fully realised," he said. He further observed that while Bangladesh’s garment sector has achieved global leadership, the tannery sector—despite being older—continues to face significant sustainability challenges. He urged all stakeholders to reflect on these issues and take effective measures for the sector’s advancement.

The event was attended by officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment and DIFE, representatives of the German Embassy and GIZ, as well as leaders of tannery owners’ associations and workers’ organisations.

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