Mujibur Rahman, ADC (Rev), Nilphamari, inaugurates the service at a medical centre at Uttara EPZ recently. Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) has launched family planning (FP) service for workers at Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ) at Sholgolshi in Nilphamari paving the way for the workers of different factories to get FP materials and counseling on maternal and child health free of cost. This initiative of BEPZA is the first of its kind undertaken at all the eight EPZs in the country as it was long-cherished demand of the workers to set up such a centre, said a press release. Mujibur Rahman, ADC (Rev) on behalf of the deputy commissioner, Nilphamari inaugurated the service at the medical centre of Uttara EPZ at a ceremony held at the conference room of Uttara EPZ which was attended by the workers’ representatives, officials of different factories and Uttara EPZ officials.Besides, high officials of health and family planning (FP) department and district administration along with local journalists were also present there. Tanvir Hossain, general manager (GM) of Uttara EPZ in his speech said that 63% workers of the EPZ are female and a good number of them is married. After 8-10 hours of duty with overtime, they usually do not get any opportunity to collect FP materials and advice from union health centres or community clinics to adopt birth control procedure. “We are concerned about the matter and responding to the necessities of the workers. BEPZA starts a FP service in the EPZ medical centre from today from where they could get useful service in all six working days except Friday,” the GM further said. BEPZA sources informed that the FP service centres would be launched in other EPZs of the country following its success at Uttara EPZ.
