Civil society and sustainable development in Bangladesh

Conference Report: The ‘Civil society and sustainable development in Bangladesh’ conference was organised by the European Union together with the Bangladesh Forum Germany. The conference took place at the Charlemagne building in Brussels on 4 November 2014. The theme of the conference was the multiple roles that civil society had played in the recent history of Bangladesh, how that role was increasingly under threat due to recent political developments, the role of civil society (trade unions) to promote decent labour conditions in the garments sector, and a discussion on what donors could do to in support of civil society in Bangladesh. It was well attended by a wide range of participants, varying from high-level diplomats, EU officials, to civil society representatives and academics, with lively discussions, especially on the role of trade unions in promoting decent labour conditions, and on the role that donors could play to support an independent civil society. This report summarises the conference.