The International Labour Organisation and the government of Bangladesh are going to launch a new programme on today to improve working conditions in the readymade garment sector in Bangladesh.
Under the project, the ILO will provide $24 million to ensure fire and building safety and to secure lasting improvements in the working conditions in the sector, a labour ministry official said.
After the Rana Plaza collapse on April 24 that killed 1,133 people, mostly garment workers, the North American Alliance and EU Accord announced that they would inspect fire and structural safety of the garment units which produced clothes for them.
After the announcement, the government and the ILO decided to inspect rest of the factories.
Under a tripartite plan of action, the government earlier decided that it would inspect buildings and fire safety of around 3,500 RMG units and thirty technical teams from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology will conduct inspection.
As per the recently provided list, the EU Accord will inspect 1,566 RMG factories and Alliance will inspect 620 units.
Labour ministry officials said that the government finalised a building safety manual and a fire safety manual for the inspection.
Alliance and Accord agreed in principle to inspect the factories under a common standard finalised by the government, officials said.
The three-and-a-half year long programme will focus on improving RMG factory building safety and workers’ rights and conditions in Bangladesh, an ILO press release said on Monday.
Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, labour minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, commerce minister Ghulam Muhammed Quader, foreign minister Dipu Moni, the ILO deputy director-general for field operations Gilbert Houngbo will present the programme at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in Dhaka.
-With New Age input
