The North American Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety, US-based clothing retailers’ platform, will hold its board meeting in Dhaka today aimed at preparing a framework on safety for the garment factories of Bangladesh.
The meeting will be held at Hotel Radison presided over by Ellen O’Kane Tauscher, chair of the alliance, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
Tauscher, a former democrat member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California, and then under-secretary of state for arms control and international security, will lead the team.
The participants will discuss on fire and building safety and take decision to set parameter, action plan, and a common code of conduct to be used for inspection, he added.
After the meeting, they will meet labor leaders, the government high officials and stakeholders.
The board members include Wesley Wilson, senior director for ethical sourcing, Walmart, Jan Saumweber, SVP, global Walmart team, Ignacio Lopez, SVP-operation, global sourcing, Walmart, Bobbi Silten, alliance board member and president, Gap foundation, Daniel Duty, alliance board member and VP global affairs, Target, Rick Darling, vice chairman, Li& Fung, Ian Spaulding, senior partner, ELEVATE, Jeff Krilla, executive director, Alliance, James Moriarty, Alliance board member and Bower Group Asia, Rumee Ali, Alliance board member and Managing director Brac, Atiqul Islam, president BGMEA, Randy Tucker, Alliance board member and fire and safety consultant, Humayun Kabir, former ambassador and representative of Bower Group and Urmila Venugopalan of Albright Stonebridge Group.
Earlier on August 20, the US-based clothing retailers’ alliance of 20 companies held a meeting in Chicago where they announced steps to implement a safety plan for the factories in Bangladesh.
The alliance launched a five-year project to inspect 500 factory- sites in the region, implement safety standards and assist owners with making the necessary improvements.
US retailers took the initiatives following the Rana Plaza collapse in April, which killed more than 1,100 workers, putting pressure on the manufacturers to address safety.