Ensure compliance at all businesses: FBCCI

The president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Md Jashim Uddin, has urged all businesses to ensure compliance at all stages considering domestic consumers as well and not only foreigners.

“Foreign consumers are reluctant to purchase products produced without compliance. So, our businesses must ensure compliance in all issues, particularly in workers’ safety, considering local consumers too,” he said while speaking at a workshop in Dhaka on Thursday.

The country’s apparel sector is doing very well in terms of compliance and safety, he said. “Eight of the top 10 green factories in the world are now located in Bangladesh. The compliance of our RMG sector is greatly appreciated by various countries and organisations around the world.”

“It is just as important to ensure the compliance of the products that are being exported as it is to ensure the compliance of the businesses that are manufacturing products for domestic customers. This way, the workers are protected and the businessmen can survive in case of fire or any major accident,” Jashim added.

He also said that compliance must be ensured in building a developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“So far, our safety council has visited 5,206 businesses. Among them, we have found over 100 that are at risk. We will discuss this with them and decide the next course of action. The awareness should increase among businessmen and compliance by industrial owners should be ensured to reduce the risk of fire,” he stressed.

Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the apex trade body should take steps against the factories that lack compliance and have safety issues.

Speaking as a special guest at the workshop, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brig Gen Md Main Uddin said the country is progressing thanks to businessmen. “I hope that Bangladesh would attain the developed country status by 2041. Hence, the public-private partnership model is very important when it comes to workplace safety,” he added.