Despite notable progress in reducing workplace accidents within Bangladesh's apparel sector under the monitoring of two buyer platforms - Accord and Alliance, recent data raises concerns about a surge in incidents.
This uptick is particularly noteworthy as the RMG Sustainable Council (RSC) and Nirapon are currently overseeing factory safety.
A study conducted by the Centre for Policy Research (CPD) titled "Monitoring Workplace Safety in the RMG Sector: Is Bangladesh Still a Pioneer or Learner?" was unveiled on Wednesday. The study highlights that the RMG sector experienced 177 fire incidents in 2020, which escalated to 180 in 2021 and further to 241 in 2022.
However, during the period of Accord and Alliance oversight, workplace fatalities in the RMG sector showed a decline from 15 in 2017 to 10 in 2018, 2 in 2019, and even just 1 in 2020. This positive trend was disrupted as the numbers increased to 13 in 2021, before reverting to 4 in 2022.
Despite the passage of a decade since the tragic Rana Plaza incident, approximately 856 RMG factories remain without coverage from private or public monitoring initiatives. Moreover, some ineligible factories are operating at full capacity, raising concerns of a potential catastrophe that could tarnish the country's reputation.
Presenting the study findings, CPD's Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzem and Senior Research Assistant Tamim Ahmed emphasised the urgency for immediate action. They stressed the importance of reassessing the effectiveness of existing safety monitoring mechanisms, especially given the approaching 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster.
Abdul Haque, managing director of RSC, responded to the study's conclusions by disputing its objectivity. He argued that the increase in accidents is correlated to the growth in the number of active factories. Haque contended that while accidents may occur for various reasons, they are not necessarily connected to unsafe working conditions. He pointed out the significant strides the industry has made in reducing casualties through robust monitoring and heightened owner awareness.
Mapped in Bangladesh reports that the country currently houses 3,752 active RMG factories. Of these, only 1,887 are monitored by the RSC, 350 by Nirapon (formerly Alliance), and 659 by the Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC). This leaves around 22.8% (approximately 856 factories) without any oversight, including some ineligible establishments engaged in export activities.
CPD stressed that the existence of these unmonitored factories, even if they are not BGMEA members, poses a potential risk to the country's reputation in case of a major accident.
Khondaker Golam Moazzem recommended that BGMEA and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) create associate memberships or criteria for factory monitoring.
In addressing the issue, Moazzem also urged the government to empower the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) with executive authority to intervene and halt unsafe factory operations.
BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim said that all their factories adhere to safety standards, placing responsibility for ineligible factories on government agencies.
