Tv24 Desk : bKash has set up vending machines in 5 RMG factories to help female workers purchase sanitary napkins whenever needed. This initiative will facilitate women-friendly, healthy environment in the garment industry by ensuring access to emergency sanitary napkins. bKash will expand this service to more factories in the future.
The program was recently inaugurated by setting up vending machines at Ananta Garments and Newage Apparels in Ashulia, Savar; Mega Denim and Hams Garments in Gazipur, and Independent Apparels in Chattogram. bKash has installed these automatic sanitary napkin vending machines in the garment factories with the technical support of Vertical Innovations.
Workers can easily buy sanitary napkins from vending machines by scanning QR code from bKash app or dialing *247#. For their convenience, step by step payment method has been demonstrated next to the vending machine. Garment workers will get the opportunity to purchase sanitary napkins at a lower price than the market through bKash payment.
Inamul Haq Khan, Managing Director and M Sajedul Karim, Deputy Managing Director of Ananta Garments and Mahmud Hossain, Executive Director of Newage Apparels were present at the inauguration ceremony of the vending machine at Ananta Garments and Newage Apparels, respectively. Ali Ahmmed, Chief Commercial Officer of bKash; Rezwan Ahamed Noor, CEO of Vertical Innovations Limited and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
Ali Ahmmed, Chief Commercial Officer of bKash, said, “We have taken this initiative to set up sanitary napkin vending machines keeping in mind the physical health of female workers in garment factories. From these vending machines located in the factory premises, female workers can easily buy napkins at a lower price. bKash will take this initiative to a larger scale in the future.”
bKash is working to build a seamless, secure and affordable digital payroll system for garment workers and build a sustainable financial ecosystem for them. Workers are now getting the opportunity to further improve their financial management using the salary received digitally through bKash.
As part of creating such ecosystem, bKash is setting up fair price shop ‘Sulov Bazaar’ inside the factories where workers can enjoy attractive discounts on various products through bKash payment. To make factory workers more aware of their financial management, bKash has been jointly organizing research and training programs with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). bKash is also working on building merchant infrastructure near the workplace and residences of the workers to provide them with seamless bKash payment facility in daily purchases.
