The government-initiated garment factory assessment came to a halt for nearly three months following some procedural complexities, especially non-completion of reports on the already inspected factories, sources said.
Teams from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) had assessed fire, electrical and structural safety of more than 200 apparel manufacturing units during the period of November to December last and now they were reviewing those reports, according to the sources.
Although the BUET has already prepared the reports on those units, the International Labour Organisation (ILO)-appointed consultancy agency now wants grading of it depending on the risk factors.
The reports were prepared without any grading while some technical issues, especially structural, were needed to be addressed by modifying those, they added.
The BUET favoured flexibility in some standards while the consultancy firm wanted to follow the standards stipulated by the Accord and the Alliance accordingly.
However, they expressed hope that the issues would be resolved shortly and the second phase of factory assessment would re-start by May next.
"The reports of the already assessed factories are yet to be completed and the next phase will start after review of those," Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar told the FE.
The already prepared reports on 200 factories needed to be modified as per the requirement of the ILO-appointed consultancy firm, a source involved with the process said.
For modification, some technical issues would need to be harmonised, the source said adding negotiation was going on between the BUET and the consultancy firm in this regard.
To grade the previous reports red, yellow and green, "we need at least one month," he said adding that the initial agreement between the ILO and BUET was to assess 200 factories.
The second phase of factory assessment could start after some arrangements like extension of the previous agreement, he added.
"Finalisation of the reports is taking time as a single approach to alignment with the Accord and the Alliance is required to avoid duplication of assessment of those units," said ILO country director Srinivas B Reddy.
"The reports need to follow a uniform approach, so that any factory assessed by the BUET need not be inspected again by Accord or Alliance," he added.
The initial agreement between the BUET and the ILO was to assess 200 factories which would be completed with submission of the reports. The BUET teams are finalising the reports, which would be sent to the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) with recommendations. The NTC will take the final decision.
The second phase of assessment would commence by May next, he said.
The garment factories, around 1300 in number, that remained outside the purview of the Accord or Alliance would be assessed by the end of the year, he mentioned.
Besides the government initiative, the Accord and the Alliance are also conducting inspection of garment factories aiming to ensure safe workplace.
The Accord is expected to assess about 1500 apparel manufacturing units by September next while the Alliance will assess 600 factories by July next.
Govt\\\'s factory inspection halts over complexities
Monira Munni | Published: March 22, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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