60 inspectors to be recruited by Oct to inspect RMG units

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FE Report The government will recruit additional 60 factory inspectors by October in line with its efforts to regain the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in the US market. Four inspectors have already been appointed while advertisement has been published for recruitment of 23 and process to recruit 37 more is going on, Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar said Sunday. "The Labour Ministry will recruit these inspectors by October to inspect readymade garment (RMG) factories while recruitment of 10 more is in the process initiated by the Public Service Commission in its efforts to regain the GSP privileges in the US market," he said. The Secretary was addressing a press briefing after the fourth meeting of the cabinet committee on garments industry headed by the Labour Minister at the Secretariat in the city while the Ministers in charge of Commerce, Home, Industry and Shipping Ministries were also present. Earlier, after the Tazreen blaze, the government formed the committee comprising 11 ministers to oversee fire safety in the apparel sector with a view to resolving different problems in the country's largest export earning sector. The meeting has also decided to form a standing committee headed by the Commerce Secretary for speedy implementation of the cabinet committee's meeting decisions. "We need to create the posts of 200 inspectors by upgrading the Labour Department to a Directorate and after the finalisation of the process the rest 126 inspectors will be recruited on ad-hoc basis," Mr Shipar said replying to a question. When asked about the percentage of improvements according to US action plan, he said, "Nothing specific could be said until November." He said the Labour Ministry with assistance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) will start inspecting the remaining garment factories that are outside the safety inspection programme by the EU Accord and US Alliance by September 15. About of 30 teams of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) will inspect those factories as per the Accord and Alliance plan to inspect about 1,750 factories, he added. Replying to another question, he said, they will prepare the list of the factories to be inspected from mid-September as they are yet to get the names of the factories from both Accord and Alliance. A meeting will be held on September 07 to prepare a unified checklist of safety inspection where representatives from the ILO, Accord, Alliance, government officials, garment owners, workers representatives will also be present, Mr Shipar further said. The meeting also discussed the steps taken to regain the GSP in the US market and to continue the same benefit in the EU including amendment of labour law, formulation of rules to implement the laobur law, withdrawal of the cases against Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter of the Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity (BCWS) and development in the Aminul Islam murder case. Activities of the BCWS and Social Activities for Environment (SAFE) are also going on as the bar has been withdrawn, he added. The meeting also discussed development of the proposed garment palli, registration of trade union, issues regarding EPZs recommended by the US action plan and implementation of a tripartite plan of action on fire and building safety.