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BIDA plans to inspect 10,000 more factories: Salman

BSS . Dhaka
01 Feb 2023 20:17:11 | Update: 01 Feb 2023 20:59:05
BIDA plans to inspect 10,000 more factories: Salman
— BSS Photo

Prime Minister's Private Sector Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman said on Wednesday, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has made a plan to inspect 10,000 more factories across the country.

"BIDA has already inspected 5,206 factories. The authority has planned to inspect 10,000 more factories," he said after a meeting in the meeting room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the secretariat in the city, read a press release.

It was the second meeting of the national committee formed to "prevent accidents in factories, mills, industrial and commercial establishments and ensure a safe working environment."

The meeting also discussed the matter of converting the Directorate of Inspection of Factories and Establishments into an authority by increasing its manpower and jurisdiction, he mentioned.

He said the government is determined to prevent accidents and ensure a safe working environment in factories, industries and commercial establishments.

Out of the total inspected factories, he mentioned, 17 factories that score less than 25 per cent of the specified criteria will be given an opportunity to improve their overall situation over the next three months.

"If a certain amount of improvement does not happen, those companies will be sealed," he added.

He said 206 companies scoring 50 per cent of the criteria will be given an opportunity for the next six months. The companies will also be sealed if the environment does not improve within a timeframe, he added.

Besides, Salman said, all the inspected industrial establishments will be notified of their existing defects and will be instructed to fix them within a specified period.

At the same time, all authorities concerned, Divisional Commissioners/District Administrator/Upazila Executive Officer, local public representatives and all associations concerned will be informed about the inspection report and necessary instructions will be given, he said.

Salman said the "Bangladesh National Building Code" was enacted in 2020 and its effective implementation requires the formation of the Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority (BBRA).

He expressed hope that the present situation will improve considerably if all the design approval and supervision work related to building construction under BBRA is completed.

In the meeting, Salman called upon the Ministry of Public Works to form the BBRA.

The representative of the Ministry of Public Works (Additional Secretary) said that an action plan will be prepared within the next month and appropriate measures will be taken to form and implement the BBRA.

Among others, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Local Government, Rural Department (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Tajul Islam, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam and State Minister for Labor and Employment Begum Mannujan Sufian welcomed the government's initiative.

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