As part of the “Improving Environmental and Social Conditions in the Savar Tannery Estate, Bangladesh” project, BLF and ETI Bangladesh conducted two training sessions on 20 and 22 February 2025 to build the capacity of mid-level management staff in tanneries.
Facilitated by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), the sessions focused on preparing and updating compliance documents in line with the DIFE checklist, which adheres to Bangladesh’s Labour Law. BLF and ETI Bangladesh organised the training with support from employers’ associations, including the Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters Association (BFLLFEA) and the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA). These sessions are the first in a series of trainings that will eventually cover representatives of 40 tanneries in the Savar Tannery Estate.
The first training session was inaugurated by Mr. Md. Zainal Abedin, CEO of BFLLFEA. The session was jointly facilitated by Mr. Motiur Rahman, Joint Inspector General of DIFE; Mr. Naimul Aziz, Labour Inspector (General), DIFE; and Mr. Mahmudul Hasan Khan, Deputy Director (Programme) of BLF. A total of 40 management staff from 22 BFLLFEA and 18 BTA member factories participated in the last two sessions.
Participants were trained on the new government inspection checklist for the tannery sector, with hands-on sessions on maintaining compliance registers. They appreciated the training, noting it improved their capacity to update the 18 required registers effectively. This consortium project aims to improve environmental and social conditions in the Savar Tannery Estate. By addressing compliance gaps and building the capacity of industry stakeholders, the initiative aims to unlock the sector’s full potential, ensuring sustainable growth and increased global competitiveness for Bangladesh’s leather industry.
