Survey of compliance issues in apparel sector begins
Monday, 1 October 2007
FE Report
The Compliance Monitoring Cell under the Ministry of Commerce has started conducting a random survey of the compliance issues in the country's apparel sector.
The purpose of the survey is to prepare a comprehensive report acceptable to all stakeholders both at home and abroad, sources said.
The survey is being conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which has already launched a project styled 'Preparatory Assistance for Promoting Poor Trade (PAPPT)' to help strengthen the implementation of compliance terms in the apparel units.
"We have selected 60 apparel units affiliated with Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA) for carrying out the survey," an official source said.
Of the factories, he said, 33 are located in Dhaka, 18 in Chittagong, six in Gazipur and three in Narayangonj.
The names of the factories have not been divulged.
"Our survey team will pay surprise visits to the selected factories without giving any prior notice to the authorities concerned. We would like to assess the actual position of the factories in respect to addressing of the compliance issues," he said.
He added: "We hope that the report will be accepted by all stakeholders as well as the international community as it will be prepared in collaboration with the UNDP."
Official sources said the statistics published by the BGMEA, BKMEA and the government agency concerned differs from one another and that is why the initiative has been taken for compiling a practical report.
Answering a question, he said: "We have already visited 10 factories and found that the major criteria of the compliance issues including implementation of minimum wages, payment for overtime, maternity leave, emergency exit arrangement with extinguisher, festival leave, weekly holiday and annual leave were addressed."
The survey, the official said, is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
"So far we understand, the government deadline that ended Sunday for addressing the compliance issue motivated the factory owners to implement anything outstanding," he said.
Sources, however, mentioning the survey on compliance issues by the BGMEA and the BKMEA, said over 99 per cent of the country's apparel units have so far addressed major compliance issues.
The Compliance Monitoring Cell under the Ministry of Commerce has started conducting a random survey of the compliance issues in the country's apparel sector.
The purpose of the survey is to prepare a comprehensive report acceptable to all stakeholders both at home and abroad, sources said.
The survey is being conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which has already launched a project styled 'Preparatory Assistance for Promoting Poor Trade (PAPPT)' to help strengthen the implementation of compliance terms in the apparel units.
"We have selected 60 apparel units affiliated with Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA) for carrying out the survey," an official source said.
Of the factories, he said, 33 are located in Dhaka, 18 in Chittagong, six in Gazipur and three in Narayangonj.
The names of the factories have not been divulged.
"Our survey team will pay surprise visits to the selected factories without giving any prior notice to the authorities concerned. We would like to assess the actual position of the factories in respect to addressing of the compliance issues," he said.
He added: "We hope that the report will be accepted by all stakeholders as well as the international community as it will be prepared in collaboration with the UNDP."
Official sources said the statistics published by the BGMEA, BKMEA and the government agency concerned differs from one another and that is why the initiative has been taken for compiling a practical report.
Answering a question, he said: "We have already visited 10 factories and found that the major criteria of the compliance issues including implementation of minimum wages, payment for overtime, maternity leave, emergency exit arrangement with extinguisher, festival leave, weekly holiday and annual leave were addressed."
The survey, the official said, is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
"So far we understand, the government deadline that ended Sunday for addressing the compliance issue motivated the factory owners to implement anything outstanding," he said.
Sources, however, mentioning the survey on compliance issues by the BGMEA and the BKMEA, said over 99 per cent of the country's apparel units have so far addressed major compliance issues.