Some 16 per cent of the surveyed 252 garment factories have employed foreign staff in almost all sections.
The highest number of foreign officials are working in production planning segment of the factories.
A Study findings conducted by of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) revealed the information.
CPD's research director Khondaker Goalm Moazzem presented the preliminary findings of the survey on Saturday.
According the research, 37.3 per cent of the professionals have been working in production planning followed by 20.1 per cent in merchandising, 11.9 per cent in quality assurance, 8.2 per cent in washing department and 6.0 per cent in both admin and industrial engineering, it revealed.
Three per cent of the employees are foreigners in both sewing and knitting departments of the surveyed units, 2.2 per cent are employed in maintenance department and 1.5 are in research and development, it further showed.
CPD's distinguished fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya moderated the discussion chaired by CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan.
Former labour secretary Mikail Shipar, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Md Siddiqur Rahman, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) vice president Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, Minimum Wage Board member Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, former secretary general of Industrial Bangladesh Council Md Babul Akhter, East West University's Economics department Professor Dr A K Enamul Haque, among others, addressed the programme.
The findings of the study, titled New Dynamics in Bangladesh’s Apparels Enterprises: Perspectives on Restructuring, Upgradation and Compliance Assurance, was presented at the dialogue on “Ongoing Upgradation in RMG Enterprise: Results from a Survey” in Dhaka.
CPD is currently conducting this study to examine the state of transformation of Bangladesh’s RMG enterprises during post-Rana Plaza period, particularly with regard to economic, social and gender-related issues.
Based on the analysis of the survey data the study will come-up with appropriate policy recommendations towards making the RMG sector more competitive and compliant in August, next.
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