The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety recently opened its office in Dhaka to supervise efforts in improving safety standards in the garment industry. The group of 26 retailers, mostly North Americans, launched its country office to lead on-the-ground implementation of its initiative, said Jeffrey Krilla, President of the group.
“I am encouraged by the progress made in Dhaka this month in the effort to establish harmonized safety standards for the garment industry,” said Jeffrey Krilla, Alliance President. “The challenges in Bangladesh are many and complex, and the solution requires collaboration across all interested parties. I am proud of the role the Alliance played in setting the foundation for harmonized standards and look forward to shifting our focus to implementation.”
Md Atiqul Islam, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), pleaded with the alliance to help Bangladeshi suppliers get higher prices for garment exports.
ILO Country Director Srinivas Reddy said: “We have to ensure the rights of the workers in the interest of everybody. All factories in Bangladesh will have to be safe for the workers.”
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Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar said the new office would help ensure transparency and accountability at the garment factories on the issue of safety. He also detailed the recent developments aimed at improving building and fire safety in the sector, including amending the labour laws, providing registration to 72 trade unions since January and launching factory inspection by the Government in association with International Labour Organisation.
[bleft] The Alliance has added 66 additional factories into the publicly released supplier database, bringing the total to 686 Alliance member factories. The list notes factories that also manufacture goods for members of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety [/bleft]
The Alliance has added 66 additional factories into the publicly released supplier database, bringing the total to 686 Alliance member factories. The list notes factories that also manufacture goods for members of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, and with the new additions, there continues to be an approximate 50 per cent overlap with Alliance and Accord factory lists. As the Alliance membership grows, factory information will continue to be updated and available at www.bangladeshworkersafety.org .
Alliance membership continues to grow, with three new companies joining in the past month. The companies include Australia’s The Just Group, Giant Tiger Stores Limited and YM Inc. of Canada. This takes the Alliance membership to 26 member companies.
In November, the Alliance hired staff in Bangladesh, including Managing Director, Mesbah Rabin, who brings many years of experience working with readymade garment factories in Bangladesh. The Alliance officially opened its Dhaka office in December.
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety was founded by a group of North American apparel companies, retailers and brands who joined together to develop and launch the Bangladesh Worker Safety Initiative, a binding, five-year undertaking that will be transparent, results-oriented, measurable and verifiable with the intent of improving safety in Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) factories.
The current group of 26 includes the following companies: Ariela Alpha International, LLC, Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited; Carter’s Inc.; The Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc.; Costco Wholesale Corporation; Fruit of the Loom; Gap Inc.; Giant Tiger Stores Limited; Hudson’s Bay Company; IFG Corp.; Intradeco Apparel; JC Penney Company Inc.; The Jones Group Inc.; Jordache Enterprises Inc.; The Just Group; Kohl’s Department Stores; L. L. Bean Inc.; M. Hidary & Company Inc., Macy’s; Nordstrom Inc.; Public Clothing Company; Sears Holdings Corporation; Target Corporation; VF Corporation; Walmart Stores Inc.; and YM Inc.
