DHAKA: Researcher Dr Julia Ahmed, also freelance consultant, on Tuesday said over 84 percent female workers are harassed in readymade garments (RMG) sector.

She said in her keynote paper presented at a meeting on ‘motivation of garment owners’ in the city on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) jointly organized the meeting.

Dr Julia said that though the issues of working environment are gradually getting importance, the issues of sexual harassment at workplaces are still remained ignored.

A survey shows 84.7 percent women workers at RMG sector are victims of several kinds of harassments, she added.

She hoped that this sort of meeting will help create awareness among the RMG owners about the situation.

She also put emphasis on showing respect to the female coworkers.

Opposing the statements of the keynote paper, labor secretary Mikail Shipar said that he does not think that the situation in RMS sector is not as grim as presented.

The secretary said that the ongoing project will run to create awareness among the owners and workers of 40 factories.

State minister for labor and employment Mojibul Haque Chunnu was present as chief guest at the meeting, chaired by BGMEA president Atiqul Islam.

BDST: 1732 HRS, DEC 02, 2014