Dutch Queen Máxima yesterday visited an RMG factory, Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar project and a digital server centre in Gazipur.
She visited Viyellatex Group garment factory around 8am and listened to officials on how employees, especially female workers, are being benefited through financial inclusion initiatives.
She was accompanied by Gazipur Deputy Commissioner SM Alam and Brac Chairman Sir Fazle Abed, among others.
Earlier, the top officials of the company briefed her about the factory and CSR activities and initiatives taken for ensuring corporate and economic sustainability.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Muhammad Belal and UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Robert Watkins were present during the visit. Chairman and CEO of the group Rezaul Hasanat, Vice-Chairman Ahasan Kabir Khan and FCO Wahed Azizur Rahman were also present.
During the visit, the queen also inquired about the benefits workers receive from mobile finance institution Bkash and witnessed how it works.
Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mustafizur Rahman said the queen reached the upazila around 10am and visited the digital server centre in Rajabari area. She also visited an Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar project in the area.
The Dutch Queen arrived in Bangladesh on Monday morning in her capacity as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) on a three-day visit.
The visit, at the invitation of Bangladesh government, is part of Queen Máxima’s global efforts to raise awareness and foster action towards financial inclusion for everyone.
Queen Máxima was appointed UNSGSA in 2009. In this capacity, the UNSGSA advocates for advancing the financial inclusion agenda focusing in particular on financially excluded people and small businesses.
The UNSGSA will also be meeting with representatives of the banking and microfinance sectors.
She will talk to a female entrepreneur who has built her business with the help of financial services, and also with clients and staff of banking agents and mobile money operations.
Access to financial services is an important tool to reduce poverty, boost economic development, empower women and achieve other development goals as acknowledged in the recently adopted 2030 sustainable development agenda.
Building on Bangladesh’s significant efforts, the visit will focus on various priorities, including the strengthening of the microfinance sector and advancing mobile financial services for financially excluded populations and SMEs.
Máxima has also been honorary patron of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion since 2011.
