Weak maintenance of safety standards and lack of regular monitoring are the reasons behind industrial accidents in the readymade garment factories, speakers at a webinar said on Sunday.
They made the call at a virtual dialogue on “Industrial Safety of the RMG Sector during the Post-Accord-Alliance Period” jointly organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Bangladesh.
The CPD-FES study examined the institutional capacity of RCC, RSC, Nirapon and other public entities to monitor fire, electrical and building structures of RMG enterprises by ensuring their effectiveness, transparency and accountability.
Presenting observations of a joint study in this regard, CPD’s Research Director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem in his keynote presentation said it was well known that the industrial safety of export-oriented readymade garment (RMG) enterprises has made significant improvement through various initiatives taken under the National Tripartite Plan of Action (NTPA) during 2013-2018.
These activities had been carried out under the Accord, the Alliance and the National Initiatives. With the successful implementation of those initiatives during 2013–2018, it was expected that a process of institutionalisation of industrial safety in the RMG sector would be established, he said.
CPD’s Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan shared his opinion on how RMG factories had improved significantly, although the safety issue remained a concern for all industries.
Commenting on the poor regulatory and oversight mechanism, Professor Sobhan recommended the government to look after all industries.
He also shed light on the role of trade unions in ensuring safety rights of the labourers who are at the centre point of this issue, adding that civil society organisations (CSOs) could play an important role as pressure group in the monitoring process.
Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director of CPD, and Felix Kolbitz, resident representative of FES Bangladesh office delivered the introductory remarks at the dialogue.
The CPD-FES study identifies the weaknesses and challenges of RMG Coordination Cell (RCC), RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) and Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) in the process of institutionalising the safety process in the RMG enterprises; and based on those analysis, it put forward a set of suggestions with a view to improving the institutional capacity to maintain the industrial safety on a sustained basis.
Md Nasir Uddin Ahmed, inspector general of DIFE, as a guest of honour said currently, the Covid inspection was more emphasised but the general inspection must be carried out in full flow as well.
He emphasised on more human resource in the DIFE in order to undertake safety inspection and monitoring properly.
Another guest of honour, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and managing director of Giant Group Faruque Hassan said there had been immense improvement in ensuring factory safety in the RMG sector.
He assured BGMEA would work with all stakeholders for further improvement of industrial safety.
Mohammad Hatem, first vice-president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), also opined that RMG factories of Bangladesh are a role-model for ensuring safety. RSC needs to work in close cooperation with all stakeholders.
George Faller, office in-charge of ILO country office said a holistic approach was required to ensure enforcement of safety guidelines.
The session was chaired by Syed Manzur Elahi, member of CPD board of trustees and former advisor to the caretaker government.
In the closing remarks, he ended on a positive note by calling for an optimistic attitude by the involved stakeholders to deal with the problems collectively.
