Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday urged greater private sector engagement in humanitarian and social initiatives, saying collective contributions could help address major challenges.

“As members of society, if everyone comes forward and contributes in their own way, many major problems can be solved,” he said while launching a programme to distribute 20,000 raincoats among tea garden workers in Sylhet division.

The Prime Minister formally handed over raincoats to 10 tea workers at the Prime Minister’s Office at Secretariat, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing.

He also enquired about their wellbeing and exchanged views with them.

The initiative has been taken by the Social Welfare Ministry to help ensure protection for tea garden workers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj during adverse weather and contribute to creating a safer working environment.

Under the programme, a total of 20,000 raincoats will be distributed among tea workers.

The Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) will provide 10,000 raincoats, while Chevron Bangladesh and Pandughar Group will provide 5,000 each under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Assuring private-sector organisations of government support for humanitarian and social initiatives, Tarique said the government would stand beside those willing to undertake such work and provide necessary assistance.

Representatives of the participating private-sector organisations said that alongside their business activities, contributing to the welfare of disadvantaged and working peopleis  also part of their social responsibility.

They expressed their interest in continuing to support similar initiatives in coordination with the government to improve the living standards and working conditions of tea workers and other marginalised communities.

On behalf of the tea workers, the participants expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the government and the organisations providing the raincoats.

Santuki Roy of Majdihi Tea Garden presented the Prime Minister with tea leaves on behalf of the workers.

Among the tea workers present were Shanti Uriya of Kalighat Tea Garden, Munni Kurmi of Makrichhara Tea Garden, Jyotsna Akter of Bharawra Tea Garden, Rina Tanti and Sashika Banerjee of Rajghat Tea Garden, Santuki Roy of Majdihi Tea Garden, Kabita Karmakar of Phulbari Tea Garden, Sujata Biswas of Madhabpur Tea Garden, Rita Rani Bauri of Uttar Alinagar and Afkhatun Nahar of Patrakhola Tea Garden.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin were present.

Lawmakers Imran Ahmad Choudhury, Nasir Uddin Mithu, Md Shawkatul Islam, M Naser Rahman, Haji Mujibur Rahman Choudhury, Md GK Gaus and SM Faisal also attended the programme.

Private-sector representatives including BAPI Senior Vice-President and Unimed and Unihealth Managing Director Mosaddek Hossain, BAPI Adviser and Square Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Tapan Chowdhury, BAPI Executive Committee Member and SKF Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Miz Simin Rahman, BAPI Executive Director Md Saiful Islam, Chevron Bangladesh Director for Corporate Affairs Md Imrul Kabir, Director of Operations Ashiq Shehzad Rahman, Head of Community Engagement AKM Arif Akhtar, and Pandughar Group Chief of People and Corporate Affairs Golam Habib were also present.