There is no alternative to maintaining fire safety and compliance across all readymade garment factories, said Salim Rahman, First Vice-President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
He made the remarks at the first meeting of BGMEA’s Standing Committee on Fire and Safety, held at the association’s headquarters in Dhaka on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by Raihan Shams, Chairman of the Committee.
Rahman emphasised that fire and building safety, alongside production, are fundamental pillars of the garment industry’s sustainable growth. He also called for simplifying the processes of fire safety plan approvals and licence renewals, while urging factory owners to maintain constant vigilance to prevent fire incidents.
Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, BGMEA Director and the Committee’s Director-in-Charge, highlighted that factory owners face numerous complications even after suffering fire damage. He noted that affected owners often struggle with issues involving the Fire Service Department, customs bonds, insurance claims, and banking procedures. Chowdhury added that these difficulties could be mitigated if relevant institutions, including customs and insurance authorities, acted with greater sincerity and efficiency.
Speakers at the meeting discussed a range of challenges, including the renewal of fire licences, the limited number of engineering firms authorised to prepare fire safety plans, the need for expanded training and awareness programmes, and the importance of structural and electrical safety in factories. They also called for better coordination among the Fire Service Department, customs, and insurance bodies to prevent and manage fire-related incidents effectively.
The meeting was attended by BGMEA directors MDM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Md Saifullah Mansur, Enamul Aziz Chowdhury, and Taslim Arif, Co-Chairman of the Standing Committee, among others.
