DHAKA, Nov 13, 2021 (BSS) - Bangladeshi garment factories are one of the 
safest workplace destinations in Asia or in the world after the remediation 
based on the recommendations by the two foreign platforms - Accord and 
Alliance, said a German book author Daniel Seidl today.

   Seidl was sharing his experiences about his stay and work in Bangladesh 
before and after the Rana Plaza building collapse in April 2013. 

  Just on the pre-dawn of the Rana Plaza building collapse Seidl, the then 
executive director of Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
(BGCCI) was guiding a big German business delegation in Dhaka and was 
highlighting about the economic transformation of Bangladesh.

   However, on the following morning the country's deadliest industrial 
accident took place at Savar and the German buyers were saying to pull back 
their business from Bangladesh because of reputational risks of their brands. 

  Seidl, said them that the brands should not leave the country as Bangladesh 
has already invested a lot in the garment sector and the retailers and brands 
also became benefited in their business because of sourcing apparel items at 
competitive prices and better products, said a press release.

   "It should not be a blame game and it should be a common game. Many people 
always talk about negative and I say you should be positive about Bangladesh. 
We need to grow together," said Seidl.

   Seidl shared all these experiences at the book launching ceremony that he 
wrote titled "Celebrating 50 years of Bangladesh". 

   He launched the book at a press conference at the Economic Reporters Forum 
(ERF) in Dhaka. At the launching he said Bangladesh is his second home and he 
already spent half (25 years of his life) in Bangladesh as he loves this 
country very much because of its environment, people and social fabrication.

   In an engaging, upbeat account, Daniel Seidl describes the development and 
transformation of a country that had to fight hard for its liberty, emerging 
from the struggle for independence to become a global manufacturing hub with 
exceptional economic growth.

   Seidl also a former anchor for CNN Germany's business news, who was 
awarded the distinction "Brand Ambassador of Bangladesh" by the Bangladesh 
Ministry of Commerce is promoting and branding Bangladesh for decades.

   "Bangladesh is portrayed as a poor country with natural disasters and bad 
working conditions. In this book we have gathered a list of 50 FACTS and 50 
PERSONAL STORIES to present the success story of Bangladesh. Pictures say 
more than a thousand words, and with this in mind, renowned photographer Abir 
Abdullah has enriched the book's chapters portraying this colourful and 
multifaceted land with realistic illustrations," said Seidl.

   This book has been endorsed and distributed by McKinsey & Company and 
amfori (former: Foreign Trade Association) to the biggest buyers of 
Bangladesh and political world leaders.

   Abir Abdullah, a renowned photographer who contributed in the book, 
Shafiqul Alam, Bangladesh bureau chief of the AFP and SM Rashidul Islam, 
general secretary to the ERF also spoke at the book launching ceremony.