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The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) wants to ensure compliance in the new industries at the country’s public and private economic zones (EZ) from the initial stage and plans to start factory inspections very soon.
According to BEZA sources, the inspections will initially identify the problems and BEZA will provide consultations and support to address them. But if the factories fail to ensure compliance afterwards, strict legal actions will follow.
It’s also working to implement the Bangladesh Economic Zones (Workers Welfare Fund) Policy by conforming to Labour Act, Environment Conservation Act and EPZ Workers’ Welfare Association and Industrial Relations Act.
In particular, BEZA wants welfare funds, worker and health safety, and a proper work environment and other related facilities implemented and ensured at the factories before they go into operation at the EZs.
A senior BEZA official told The Business Post that this whole initiative has started under an economic zone-related project financed by the World Bank. So far, 10 social and five environment counsellors have been appointed.
They will visit the factories at public and private EZs and submit their findings. Based on that, BEZA will give a deadline and the necessary directives to the factories to take effective steps and ensure compliance.
Considering the establishment of new industries, opportunities and assistance will be provided so that corrections can be made. However, if compliance is not ensured within the stipulated time even after that, the authorities will take strict action in line with the laws.
According to economic zone sources, many industries have already started operating but they are yet to form workers’ welfare funds. Workers do not even have group insurance in most of the operating industries.
Housing facilities for the workers have not been set up yet at the EZs. Most industry owners have not even taken the initiative to provide transportation facilities to workers who come from different places.
Moreover, many local and foreign companies have not introduced many other benefits, including provident funds, for the workers in line with the Labour Act.
These are the reasons why BEZA has taken the initiative to ensure compliance.
According to BEZA’s data, there are 38 productive industrial factories at 10 public and private EZs. Seventy more are being constructed at these EZs. These industries have employed more than 50,000 people.
The government plans to set up 100 EZs across the country. In line with this, BEZA Governing Board has approved 97 EZs. The development work is already underway to build 29 of them.
Currently, the EZs operating under BEZA have 61,161 acres of land. Regular work is underway to set up industries in these lands.
BEZA has also approved a $17.50 billion investment to establish Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Chattogram, where around 150 industrial companies will set up factories. BEZA wants to make certain that these companies will ensure compliance before they start operating.
