Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in collaboration with the Labour Administration and Working Conditions Cluster of the ILO Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with Leather and Footwear Sector on developing a roadmap for promoting Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) on 24 July 2025 at the MCCI’s Gulshan office, Dhaka. This initiative is supported under the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) – a joint effort of the European Union, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden – on Decent Work in Bangladesh.

The objective of the discussion was to develop a roadmap for promoting RBC and HRDD principles and to facilitate dialogue among representatives of the Leather and Footwear sector in this regard.

Mr. Md. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary-General, BEF, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of RBC and HRDD for the sustainability of the business ecosystem.

Mr. Omar H. Khan, Managing Partner and Head of Chambers, Legal Counsel, along with his team, delivered a presentation outlining the context, background, objectives, key components, and potential benefits of implementing RBC and HRDD. Following the presentation, participants engaged in open discussions, sharing their interests in adopting RBC and HRDD practices within their sector. They discussed the current status of their sector in relation to these principles, the challenges they may face, potential implementation strategies, the support they require, their expectations from BEF and Government, and the anticipated benefits of adopting RBC and HRDD practices.

Mr. Md. Saidul Islam concluded the session by summarizing the key takeaways, outlining the way forward, and extending a vote of thanks, acknowledging the valuable contributions of all participants.

The discussion was attended by 30 participants (06 female and 24 male) representing the Leather and Footwear sector.