The global buyers’ bodies, Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety and Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, formed in the aftermath of the tragic Rana Plaza incident to carry out inspection and remediation of the apparel manufacturing units in the Bangladesh readymade garment sector, are all set to leave the country by December this year.
“Accord and Alliance will leave Bangladesh after the six-month transition period on December 7 and then we will take over the responsibility of factory remediation and inspection,” Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed reportedly stated in a programme held recently in capital Dhaka, adding further that in the fourth review meeting of Sustainability Compact held at Brussels last month the issue of extending time for Accord and Alliance was discussed and the meeting was told that Bangladesh was capable to take over the responsibility of factory remediation.
It may be mentioned here that following the Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013, which claimed over 1,100 lives, North American brands and retailers formed Alliance while retailers from Europe formed Accord.
At the same programme, State minister for Labour Md Mujibul Haque, while addressing the journalists, maintained, “I challenge that no Rana Plaza-like incident will take place in future in the country…. and the country’s readymade garment sector no longer required Accord and Alliance as we have made significant progress in strengthening the capacity of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.”
