MoC to review RMG compliance issues soon

---

Syful Islam
The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) will soon hold a meeting of the Social Compliance Forum to review the situation arisen out of the fatal fire incident in Tazreen Fashions located at Ashulia, on the outskirts of the city, officials said.
"The meeting will discuss the loopholes in the decisions and the status of their implementation, taken so far by the forum, to ensure compliance in the apparel sector," a senior MoC official told the FE.
He said a good number of decisions were taken in the Forum's meetings earlier to offer a good environment in the apparel industry, especially for the safety of people working there.
Referring to a recent inspection report of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), he said out of the 586 factories surveyed in July-September quarter 585 were found to have alternative staircases or alternative doors and 581 necessary fire fighting equipment.
He said despite having the fire fighting equipment none had used the same to douse the fire in the Tazreen Fashions which killed 111 employees Saturday night.
The official said members of the Fire Service and Civil Defence regularly visit the apparel factories across the country to check the safety measures. No apparel factory can start production unless they comply with safety requirements.
All the factory owners were asked to carry out fire fighting drills regularly so that workers can act when fire breaks out.
"We have recently asked the fire service authority to identify the factories where fire fighters can't reach due to congestion and relocate them to outside the city," the official said adding that the authorities have already served notices on some of such factories to relocate.
Commerce Minister GM Quader months back told the parliament that steps had been taken to maintain social compliance in all apparel units.
"A compliance-monitoring cell of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) is conducting surveillance on the compliance issue regularly to the RMG units," he said.
He said the Forum provided necessary support to the apparel units including training for welfare and safety of the workers for ensuring compliances.